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CC 173 2014
Coincard
BU Niederländisch
Coincard – Dutch version
Belgium · 150 years of Rotes Kreuz in Belgien
Mintage112,500
Issue price€7.00
Issue date18 Sept 2014
PackagingCoincard
Edge lettering2 ★ ★ × 6, alternating upright/inverted
Mintage information from source: Gesamt 225.000; Verteilung je Sprachversion nicht angegeben
Issue occasion
The commemorative coin honours the 150th anniversary of the Belgian Red Cross. The design shows a cross with the number “150” in the centre, along with the inscriptions “Rode Kruis” and “Croix-Rouge”. Arranged around it are the mark of the Brussels Mint featuring the helmeted head of the Archangel Michael, the mint master’s mark, the year 2014 and the country code “BE”.
The design
The inner part of the coin depicts a cross with the number “150” in its centre. Engraved in the cross are the inscription “Rode Kruis” vertically and the inscription “Croix-Rouge” horizontally. Arranged around the cross are the mark of the Brussels Mint — the helmeted head of the Archangel Michael —, the mint master’s mark, the year 2014 and the country code BE.
The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the coin’s outer ring.
The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the coin’s outer ring.
Background on the topic
The establishment of the Belgian Red Cross (Belgisches Rotes Kreuz) is connected with the international Red Cross movement. Its impetus came from the Swiss businessman Henry Dunant after the Battle of Solferino in 1859. He had observed the inadequate care provided to wounded soldiers and proposed voluntary aid societies that would treat the wounded regardless of their affiliation. This initiative led to the later International Committee of the Red Cross (Internationales Komitee vom Roten Kreuz) in Geneva in 1863.
The Belgian Red Cross (Belgisches Rotes Kreuz) was founded on 4 February 1864 and is therefore one of the early national Red Cross societies. The first Geneva Convention was adopted in the same year. It regulated the protection of wounded soldiers and medical personnel in wartime. The red cross on a white background was established as a protective emblem; its colours are the reverse of those of the Swiss flag and refer to the place where the movement originated.
The organisation’s work was not limited to armed conflicts. Its tasks also include disaster relief, first-aid training, blood donation services, social support and participation in the search for missing persons and the restoration of family contacts. Its foundation consists of the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.
The Belgian organisation also reflects the federal and multilingual structure of the country. Its activities are primarily supported by a Dutch-speaking and a French-speaking community association; the German-speaking community is also taken into account organisationally. This explains why the country’s two major national languages regularly appear alongside one another in public presentations of the organisation.
The period from 1864 to 2014 marked the round anniversary of one and a half centuries. It was also suitable as the occasion for a commemorative circulation coin because the Red Cross is both a Belgian institution and part of a cross-border humanitarian movement. The theme thus combines national history with the rules of international humanitarian law and internationally organised aid.
The Belgian Red Cross (Belgisches Rotes Kreuz) was founded on 4 February 1864 and is therefore one of the early national Red Cross societies. The first Geneva Convention was adopted in the same year. It regulated the protection of wounded soldiers and medical personnel in wartime. The red cross on a white background was established as a protective emblem; its colours are the reverse of those of the Swiss flag and refer to the place where the movement originated.
The organisation’s work was not limited to armed conflicts. Its tasks also include disaster relief, first-aid training, blood donation services, social support and participation in the search for missing persons and the restoration of family contacts. Its foundation consists of the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.
The Belgian organisation also reflects the federal and multilingual structure of the country. Its activities are primarily supported by a Dutch-speaking and a French-speaking community association; the German-speaking community is also taken into account organisationally. This explains why the country’s two major national languages regularly appear alongside one another in public presentations of the organisation.
The period from 1864 to 2014 marked the round anniversary of one and a half centuries. It was also suitable as the occasion for a commemorative circulation coin because the Red Cross is both a Belgian institution and part of a cross-border humanitarian movement. The theme thus combines national history with the rules of international humanitarian law and internationally organised aid.