This Belgian 1992 10,000 franc note is still quite rare (relative to most Western European banknotes), so I started this note relatively late, probably around the Spring Festival in 2011, and it was particularly impressive, just Chinese New Year's Eve, I was exchanging this note with a person, and now it has been more than a decade. If the Hydra banknote is listed as the top three with the highest level of printing, then Belgium can enter the top four, of course, Belgium and Austria can compete for the fourth and fifth places. I personally prefer Belgian banknotes because they have both traditional hand-engraving and advanced anti-counterfeiting technology, and more importantly, Belgian banknotes are more pleasing in design than in Austria and more vivid in color. This blog post was completed at the beginning of the book, and the research was quite careful, but it is interesting that there are not many friends who discuss this note later, and perhaps it is indeed not as rich as Hordry. Of course, looking at the blog posts of the time today, I still find this note and blogging a lot of fun.
At the beginning of this article, I would like to say that this banknote is very unique, and since its design, it has been placed high hopes by the Belgians that it can become a banknote that can compete with the paper powerhouses such as the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland. Therefore, this banknote adopts a rare top configuration in Belgian history, whether it is from the engraver, printing, technology is the best at that time, every detail can feel the Belgian good intentions for it. And I would also like to emphasize that this banknote, if not in the state of the violet lamp, at most only half of the understanding of it, only fully feel the infinite charm of this banknote under the violet lamp, can understand why I will give this note an S-grade top evaluation. However, King Baudouin I is still very tragic, his own head is printed on this highest denomination banknote a year, he died, he was childless all his life, the throne naturally passed to his brother Albert II, the king of this position, who sat on the natural selfish, when the new king ascended the throne, Belgium began to prepare a new version of 10,000 francs, so this Bodouin version, used not long to be replaced, wasted such a top paper money, but for collectors is lucky, Banknotes that can achieve this production quality are also rare in the world.
The design of the front shows Baudouin I and Queen Fabiola, smiling and looking at the great rivers and mountains of their kingdom, compared to the later version, the theme of this album is more representative, more like a work taken out alone, rather than a series of works of the same style. This is a highly anticipated, luxuriously configured banknote, the Belgians have the intention to make it in the direction of the world's first, and its effect has naturally reached a considerable height. Perhaps, Belgium found the shortcomings of its own engravers in the art of portrait carving, specially invited SLANIA, a foreigner, to complete the two highest denomination portrait carvings, and, at the bottom of this note, impressively printed Cz. Slania sculp, also shows Belgium's respect for the carver, not because the carver is a foreigner and hidden, therefore, in addition to the banknote itself, this is also a SLANIA carving, more with artistry than circulation. Moreover, it is extremely rare that the front and back use the top configuration of optical color-changing inks, which is the second earliest national banknote in the world to adopt optical color-changing inks, slightly later than Germany. The light change ink used by Belgium on this banknote has the advantages of large area, many details and unique colors. In addition, the note also used the windowing security thread with miniature text that was just starting at the time, and had a strong fluorescent reaction. Every detail of this banknote can withstand repeated study, its color use is exactly the same as the Netherlands at that time, and the treatment of miniature writing and reticulation reflects the highest level in the world at that time. In addition, the front-to-back printing technique that was popular at the time was arranged extremely cleverly on this banknote. In short, the 1997 edition of 10,000 francs is, in a way, less shocking than this note. This is a talented banknote, which, on the face of the ticket, gives me the cartoon feeling of a cute little country. When I looked closely, I found that the classic small details of this banknote were everywhere.
Personally, I think the most exquisite part of the whole banknote is the front and back of the print pattern. First of all, the arrangement position is very exquisite, and secondly, its printing pattern is integrated with the banknote picture, can we see where its printing position is?
The shading of this banknote is very delicate, and the color is as rich as that of the Netherlands of the same period. But its design is very plain, do not savor, it is difficult to find that it actually has such a rich color, this sounds strange, isn't it? Perhaps Belgium did not want its banknotes to be too ostentatious and give the impression of being impetuous and shallow.
The optical color-changing ink on the front uses a very rare brown ---- red variation, and the details are very rich, as the second country in the world to adopt this technology, it can only be admired for being so perfect.
The back is a very popular green ---- dark blue variation, at that time, this optical color-changing ink was just developed and used in the period, Belgium on its double-sided configuration, which shows its emphasis on 10,000 francs, so far no other countries have adopted two kinds of photochromic ink as anti-counterfeiting.
CZ. SLANIA ---- follow in the footsteps of master carvers
As a master carver who has influenced an entire generation, his works have always had a large number of fans in the world, and his death has made his past works have infinite charm, and, with the passage of time, the works of this master carver have now emitted golden light. More and more collectors are listing their works as their own collection themes. A master of engraving, who has pursued his own style all his life, which no one can replace.
This baudouin and his wife's carving is one of the few banknote portraits in SLANIA, and one of the most exquisite portrait carvings in banknotes. I think that in this banknote, he has his own unique views on the dotting and wiring of the portraits of Baudouin I, not pursuing the perfection and authenticity of the details, but more importantly, he pursues a texture of the portrait, the pursuit of a beautiful soft line, so if you use the traditional aesthetic to appreciate it is obviously not objective, this portrait is extremely exquisitely carved, and it is easy to love it at first glance. I think that SLANIA is very fond of taking orders for such banknote portrait carvings, after all, stamps only exist between square inches, and banknotes are larger, more able to show their skills and personality, in addition, paper money is eternal, for more than ten years, their own works are used by others every day, how proud is it?
The greenhouse garden ---- the protagonist of the two degrees of the highest denomination
Of course, the portrait carving on the front is enough for me to love, but the complete greenhouse garden design of the back composition is not inferior to the front. Belgian banknotes have always pursued a light cartoon mood (compared with the later version, the cartoon mood of this banknote is more mature, and the latter version is more like a cute little girl, the two are comparable), so that these banknotes smell like their chocolate, and eat mellow. Unlike other denomination designs, which have a sense of triviality, the back composition of 10,000 francs is very complete, expressing a vibrant greenhouse garden, although they are made of lithographs, the colors are slightly faint, but their use of color and line is comparable to the Dutch banknotes of the time, but much more beautiful than the Dutch design. And the most important point is that when I turn on the violet light at night and put it under the light, I find that it is better than the fluorescence effect on the back of the 97 version, and it is the most beautiful fluorescent effect of the banknote, which brings me more than just shock.
The fluorescence effect on the back is excellent, with a festive sense of festive fireworks. Moreover, the fluorescent ink uses three colors of gold, green, and light blue (which is still rare to this day), and the transition between light and dark is very exquisite, and with multi-colored fluorescent fibers, the text is really difficult to express my surprise when I see this banknote. In short, since it is taken at night, the pictures and personal experience are completely different.
Of course, a country's banknotes must be long, and they will not be long, the paper of Belgian banknotes is relatively rough and personalityless, the watermark can only be regarded as flat, and there is no metallic lustrous ink on the front of the Dutch banknote, and because there is no use of those shiny technologies, there is no unique technology, which makes it look inconspicuous at first, compared with the 97 version of 10,000 francs. Of course, compared to the disadvantages, I think it has more advantages, and all these advantages allow me to accept it calmly. In addition, the size is too small, which may disappoint enthusiasts like me who appreciate the large size, exquisite carving, and shiny ticket face, but I believe that this banknote can be condensed with essence. Finally, as for the position of Belgian banknotes in the eurozone, it seems that now I think its biggest competitor is Austria, which is certainly superior to Belgium in terms of technology, but in terms of design glitch, Belgium clearly leaves Austria behind, so it is still a matter of opinion to be third after the Netherlands and Germany.