Banque Nationale de Belgique (National Bank of Belgium) Currency & Banknote Values

The Greysheet Catalog (GSID) of the Banque Nationale de Belgique (National Bank of Belgium) series of Belgium in the World Currency contains 332 distinct entries with CPG^® values between $1.00 and $3,700.00.

The Banque Nationale (National Bank, BNB) was established on 5 May 1850 after the Société Générale and the Banque de Belgique agreed to reforms following the 1848 financial crisis. Both renounced their right to issue notes (the Banque de Flandre also subsequently waived its right to issue) in favor of the Banque Nationale, which also became the state cashier, with the Société Générale and the Banque de Belgique as the sole shareholders in the private company. The new institution opened for business in Brussels on 2 January 1851. Aside from the Banque Liégeoise et Caisse d’Épargnes which continued to issue notes on a small scale until 1875, the Banque Nationale had a de facto monopoly on note issue in Belgium. On 20 May 1872, the law authorizing the Banque Nationale was renewed. Note variety descriptions list signatories’ names as they appear on the note, from left to right, or top to bottom. On 31 December 1998, the European Central Bank fixed the irrevocable exchange rate, effective 1 January 1999, for Belgian francs to euros at 40.3399:1. Belgian francs notes can be exchanged for euros for an indefinite period of time. For later issues, see European Monetary Union.