Let us take you back to Tuesday 1 January 2002. A historic day for the European Union, and a proud moment for Luc Luycx, a Belgian employee of the Royal Mint.
In fact, why don’t we back it up even more, almost ten whole years to February 1992, when the Treaty of Maastricht paved the way for a common European currency that was introduced electronically in 1999. Four years after the Treaty, a competition was launched under three themes: architectural, abstract, and European personalities.
Talented experts from all across the EU threw their hats in the ring, including Luycx. Over three dozen designs were narrowed down to nine and shared with the general public, currency users’ organisations, and the European Parliament. Luc Luycx’s design was the clear favourite out of the designs that were shared.
Now hundreds of millions of people across the euro area pass their fingers over this Belgian’s proudest work every day, few of them knowing his name or the country he hails from. But he is there, hiding in the shadows, two intertwined Ls under the O in Euro, the subtle signature of a true European. A Belgian to be proud of.
Now doesn’t that spark a fair amount of Belgitude every time you use a coin?
