2023 Belgium Copper-Nickel 2023 8.50gm Belgium Copper-Nickel Universal Womens Suffrage PP PP

Following the 2011 2 euro coin in the context of International Women's Day, the Royal Mint of Belgium is now issuing a unique 2 euro coin in honour of 75 years of universal women's suffrage in Belgium.

1831: All Belgians equal before the law... Or not?

In 1831, the newly born Belgium was given a constitution that was considered very progressive at the time. However, women were completely forgotten in it! For the National Congress, it was enough to adopt the ideas of the famous Code Napoléon, which equated women with minors and persons of unsound mind. Talk about gender discrimination!

1850-1900: Feminist movements make their entrance...

During the second half of the 19th century, Belgium saw the first movements for women's emancipation emerge. Equal opportunities in education, especially for girls, as well as equal civil rights for men and women were high on the (women's) agenda at the time. By uniting and organising themselves properly, Belgian women had already been able to claim a number of interesting economic and civil rights on the eve of the First World War. However, women were still far from equal to men.

1920: A typical 'compromis à la belge'…

Everything had yet to begin, especially on the political front. After 1918, women's right to vote became the leitmotif of the feminist movement. Despite all the efforts and lobbying, the programme for full women's suffrage could only be partially realised. It is true that women's right to vote in municipal and provincial elections was achieved on 3 May 1920, and women were also able to stand for election. But for the right to vote in the elections for the House of Representatives and the Senate, it was not until… 3 years after the Second World War!

1948: Finally, full women's right to vote!

After the liberation, the granting of women's suffrage was no longer questioned. New times were dawning and objections had become rare. On 27 March 1948, the parliamentary right to vote for women became a legal fact. Since then, Belgian women have been able to continuously strengthen their position, although there is still work to be done to get the gender balance perfectly balanced.

A euro coin for women, designed by a woman!

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Belgian women's right to vote in a fitting manner, the Royal Mint of Belgium has issued a very original 2 euro coin that perfectly reflects the female quest for gender equality.

The image side shows a Venus symbol as a voting box that is filled in with a pencil and surrounded by the bilingual inscription 'ALGEMEEN WIJWENKIESRECHT - SUFFRAGE UNIVERSEL FÉMININ'. To the left of the box is the inscription 75 JAAR/ANS and to the right the country mark BE, the year 2023 as well as the mint mark (Mercury's staff) and the mint master mark (an Erlenmeyer flask with an aster). Right at the bottom of the Venus symbol you will discover the initials IB of IRIS BRUIJNS: since last year our new (female) coin designer, yes indeed!

Available for you in two beautiful versions

First there is our Proof version. The limited edition of only 5,000 pieces makes this luxury issue a highly sought-after collector's item that will also be eagerly purchased outside our country. Proof or BU, the choice is yours. Or perhaps you would like to order both versions? Your collection can only benefit from it.

This last 2 euro coin of 2023 is also offered to you in Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) and in Proof quality. The BU issue is in a colourful coincard and shows the joy for the newly acquired right to vote that was announced in the newspapers 75 years ago. On the back you see some young ladies who eagerly make use of their right to vote. As usual, two language versions were also provided for this coincard.