500 Francs / Frank BEF Banknote (World War II Issue) 1980-1981

500 Francs / Frank Belgian Franc (Issued 1980-1981)

A worn 500 Franc note passing from hand to hand through Belgian shops, offices, and markets during the early 1980s would have represented substantial purchasing power in daily transactions. Factory workers, shopkeepers, and families would have folded these notes into wallets and purses, their fingers leaving traces on the paper as they counted out payments for groceries, rent, and goods. By the time these banknotes reached currency collectors and archive holders decades later, they carried the accumulated fingerprints and creases of an entire generation’s economic activity. Today, collectors and those seeking to exchange Belgian currency seek out these notes as tangible records of Belgium’s monetary history before the transition to the Euro.

On the front, the dominant feature is a finely engraved portrait of a bearded gentleman in classical style, rendered in deep blue ink that dominates the left portion of the composition. The engraving displays meticulous line work characteristic of high-security banknote production, with fine parallel lines creating texture and depth in the facial features and whiskers. To the right of the portrait stands an industrial structure—a mining pit head or colliery frame—depicted in pale blue and purple tones, symbolising Belgium’s industrial heritage. The denomination appears twice in large numerals: “500” in green-blue at the top right and again at the bottom right corner. The text “BANQUE NATIONALE DE BELGIQUE” curves across the upper right section, with “CINQ CENTS FRANCS” printed prominently in dark blue below the industrial imagery. A vertical security strip runs through the design, and the serial number “41200471251” is repeated in the top left and top right corners. The overall colour palette transitions from deep blue on the left through to pale blue and green-tinged whites on the right.

The reverse displays “NATIONALE BANK VAN BELGIE” and “VIJFHONDERD FRANK” in text across the upper portion, with “500” repeated in the top left and top right corners in matching blue-green numerals. The composition features six circular medallion designs arranged in a three-by-two pattern, each containing geometric and abstract patterns rendered in purple, blue, and green tones. These medallions showcase intricate guilloché work and mathematical patterns, including radial line designs and tessellating motifs that serve both decorative and security purposes. A sweeping fan or peacock tail pattern of fine lines radiates across the background in pale green and blue, creating a dynamic sense of movement. The patterns throughout demonstrate the sophisticated security printing techniques employed by the Banque Nationale de Belgique, with no area left plain—every surface contains deliberate engraving detail designed to prevent counterfeiting.

Got a 500 Francs Belgian banknote sitting unused? Webuyallcurrency.com will exchange it for cash alongside your other Belgian Francs banknotes and any leftover foreign currency, in one convenient online step.

• Indicate the quantity of 500 Francs / Frank Belgian Franc banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Whether you want to sell foreign coins and notes or exchange leftover currency from past trips, Webuyallcurrency.com accepts Belgian Francs banknotes alongside modern money and settles everything in a single, easy transaction.