After its formation in the year 1830, the young state of Belgium adopted the French franc currency. In 1865 the country joined the Latin Monetary Union – an agreement between France, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium. The countries decided to henceforth mint their coins according to the same standards of weight and fineness and appearance; the coins of every country was legal tender in the respective other countries. The Belgian 20-franc-coin shown here was minted according to the regulations of the Latin Union. The die was engraved by Leonard Wiener, the general engraver at the Belgian Mint since 1864. Depicted is the first King of Belgium, Leopold I (1831-1865); the signature of the engraver is beneath his neck.