Off the wire
• South African court rejects Pistorius' appeal  • News Analysis: Constructive message in Merkel's urging Japan to confront wartime past squarely  • China Headlines: "Jigsaw puzzle" of dreams inside the Great Hall of the People  • Results of Diving World Series Beijing  • Sweden offers to question Assange in London  • Turkey says not responsible alone for flow of foreign fighters into Syria  • Norwegian sovereign wealth fund achieves 7.6 pct return in 2014  • Japan, France agree to transfer defense equipment, technology  • Africa Focus: AU, China vow to deepen relations, cooperation  • Indian PM calls for maritime security cooperation with Sri Lanka  
You are here: 　 Home

Belgium gives up 175,000 2-euro coins minted to commemorate Waterloo Battle

Xinhua, March 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Belgian Finance Ministry has indicated that a euro coin intended to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo will not be used for general circulation, Belgian press reported Friday.

France earlier objected to the minting of the 2-euro coin, which commemorates Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The anniversary of the event is on June 18.

Federal Public Service (SPF) Finance authorities confirmed the complaint by France also had the support of other EU countries.

"The circulation of coins bearing negative symbols for a fraction of the European population seems detrimental in a context where the governments of the euro zone are trying to strengthen the unity and cooperation within the monetary union," the French government said in a statement last week.

France and Belgium are both members of the 19-member euro zone, which shares a single currency.

According to SPF Finances spokesman Francis Adyns, approximately 175,000 2-euro coins had been minted by the Royal Mint of Belgium.

Belgium is therefore planning to mint another commemorative coin, available to collectors only and worth between 3 and 5 euros.

The commemoration of the Battle of Waterloo is scheduled for four days beginning on June 18, and is expected to attract about 200,000 people, according to the organizers. Endit