back to article Belgium trolls France with bonkers new commemorative coin

Belgium has taken international trolling to the next level by minting a €2.50 coin to celebrate the Battle of Waterloo. France had objected to the plan to mint a €2 coin to mark the 200th anniversary of Napoleon's defeat and Belgium duly scrapped 180,000 coins. France said the battle “has a particular resonance in the …

  1. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. Kleykenb

      for collectors

      It's not ment to be used as legal tender (and why would you use it if it cost you 6Euro and it's only worth 2.5Euro).

      This is only ment for colelctors.

      1. silent_count

        @Kleykenb

        "(and why would you use it if it cost you 6Euro and it's only worth 2.5Euro)"

        I take it you've never seen Brewster's Millions (R.I.P. Richard Pryor and John Candy).

      2. Kubla Cant

        Re: for collectors

        why would you use it if it cost you 6Euro and it's only worth 2.5Euro

        You might feel it's worth € 3.5 to annoy some French people.

    2. petur

      It is also wrong. The coins can NOT be used to buy anything, even in Belgium. They are a collectors item, no more, no less.

      If you dig a bit deeper there's a whole scene of coin collectors for these kind of things. The idea being that they are pretty rare and some day might be worth more. Or they like collecting them more than they like stamps? Who knows ;)

      1. Wyrdness

        According to the Financial Times (and they should know), these coins can be spent in Belgium, just not anywhere else in the Eurozone. Thought it's not expected that people will spend them, as they're primarily collectors items, hence the €6 price tag.

    3. Lionel Baden

      Im with 1980's coder !

      Sorry regardless of whether it is collectible, it is supposed to be a legal euro, then it should be accepted anywhere that is based on the euro.

      All they need to do is make a 0.99 coin !!! now that would be useful :D

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          @1980s_coder

          Someone pulled those 20p coins out of a proof set and spent them. Some people working the register are suspicious of anything they don't recognize (like people in the US who refuse a $2 bill even though they are legal tender, since they are rarely used) and some will take anything if it is looks legit - and after all, they are only 20p, and who would counterfeit a 20p coin?

          I mean, YOU got them as change at some point and didn't refuse them, right? If someone gave you a washer in change instead of a penny, and you decided to accept it because "hey I need a washer exactly that size, this will save me a trip to the hardware store" would that mean that people who say a washer isn't legal tender are wrong?

    4. Test Man

      It can be used anywhere. However, due to the fact that it isn't legal tender, it can be refused when presented to settle a debt.

      Same with Scottish and Northern Ireland pound sterling notes - can be accepted as payment for a debt anywhere in the UK, but as it's not legal tender it can be refused.

      Credit cards, debit cards, cheques and other non-cash methods of payment aren't strictly speaking legal tender (i.e. it's totally legal for the person who is owed the money to refuse it)

      1. John Riddoch

        Most Bank of England notes aren't legal tender in Scotland either, because the definition of it is so tight.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          "Most Bank of England notes aren't legal tender in Scotland"

          What about coins?

          Particularly my planned Culloden pound coin? Gets at both the Andymurrays and the Frogs in one go.

    5. Paul Shirley

      "That's a bit silly, having a euro coin that isn't legal tender across the whole of the Eurozone."

      Not silly at all, it's why the French can't veto it.

  2. Chris Puttick

    Can't buy

    Anything from that site, apparently. The new coin doesn't have a buy button, and the silver €10 coin won't "add" to the basket.

    <trying to buy just to annoy the French govt>

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Can't buy

      Did you enter a quantity? It defaults to adding a quantity of zero coins to your basket.

      1. Roq D. Kasba

        Re: Can't buy

        Site was happy to sell me one, but wanted another €8.95 postage which was just a bit too rich for me, otherwise I might have got one just out of mischief.

  3. This post has been deleted by its author

  4. Steve 114

    Rewriting history yet again

    When I visited the 'Panorama' near the battlefield, it left me with the impression the French had won. The true battlefield is no longer there in memoriam, as the French carefully scooped up all the topsoil to make the monument. Did we only get to keep our 'Waterloo' station because we added a fraction for Eurostar?

    1. Voland's right hand Silver badge

      Re: Rewriting history yet again

      We should have refurbished Waterloo as a termination point for Eurostar instead of St Pancras.

      As a case in point.

      1. Fred Dibnah

        Re: Rewriting history yet again

        Agreed, but now that it's moved, how about we rename St.Pancras to St.Helena?

      2. Christoph

        Re: Rewriting history yet again

        Some years back, some particularly publicity-desperate petty French politician complained loudly about the Eurostar terminus being at a place named after Waterloo.

        The English reaction, which I saw from several independent sources, was "Certainly squire. No problem. We'll get the name changed right away. Agincourt Station it is."

        1. disgruntled yank

          Re: Rewriting history yet again

          Yes, well, in 1814 the Prussians wanted to demolish the Pont d'Iena in Paris.

        2. Kubla Cant

          Re: Rewriting history yet again

          That's a bit rich, considering the Gare d'Austerlitz in Paris.

          1. Vincent Ballard

            Re: Rewriting history yet again

            It's even richer when you consider that France is minting a commemorative 2€ coin this year to celebrate the end of a different war. (Ok, it's officially "70 years of peace in Europe", but same difference).

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Rewriting history yet again

      "The French carefully scooped up all the topsoil to make the monument". Except the monument was made by King William I of the Netherlands.

  5. Richard Jones 1
    Joke

    Water-loo Taking the P*ss

    Sorry I could not resist, perhaps a bit too blatant but the Belgian action get a round of applause. It almost makes me want to use the Euro so we could employ their coin here. - Steady on at the back I said almost!

    1. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

      Euro in the UK

      A few UK department stores accept euro notes. Expect delay while the shop assistant learns how the shop handles euros - or US$ or ¥. The exchange rate will not be that good either.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Water-loo Taking the P*ss

      It almost makes me want to use the Euro so we could employ their coin here.

      Well this year we're rubbing the German's noses in it again with new £2 coins celebrating the first world war and a 50p coin for the Battle of Britain. Sadly it looks like the Royal Mint have missed the opportunity to bait the French with a 600 year anniversary Agincourt pound coin.

      1. Spamfast

        Re: Water-loo Taking the P*ss

        Well this year we're rubbing the German's noses in it again with new £2 coins celebrating the first world war and a 50p coin for the Battle of Britain.

        Just the one German? And he's got more than one nose? (Check your punctuation.)

        Actually, probably not even one. The ones I've met - Germans that is, not noses - seem pretty indifferent. We're the ones who seem to have retained the chip on the shoulder.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Belgium trolls France with bonkers new commemorative coin

      Looks interesting. Can us USAns get it for $2.50 postage?

  7. Tromos

    Belgian coffers must be in a pretty poor state if 70,000 lots of 6 euros have any noticeable positive effect.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I suspect it will barely cover their costs - but since the point is to annoy the French, that doesn't matter.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "the point is to annoy the French"

        Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was the only thing they could come up with to put on a coin. Let's face it, the list of famous Belgians probably has a single entry, and that's Poirot, so after you've put him on one coin, you're a bit stuck. And even then, that's only one side of the coin sorted.

        1. RikC

          @Ledswinger, Ah yes... people always mistake Jaques Brel for a Frenchman ;-)

          1. Bloakey1

            " Reply Icon

            @Ledswinger, Ah yes... people always mistake Jaques Brel for a Frenchman ;-)"

            Ahhh, but do not forget Plastique Bertrand, Jean Claude Van Damme et. al.

            In fact Belgian punches above its weight for well known people given its size.

            One of my French Army songs used to have the following in it:

            "Pour les Belges y en a plus. Ce sont des tireurs au cul"

            So perhaps the French deserve all they get.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Don't know any famous Belgians outside of Poirot? Are you mad? Do a quick search and you'll find loads.

              Gerardus Mercator, Leo Baekeland, Georges Lemaître , Jacky Ickx, Eddy Merckx, Justine Henin. You may have heard of the Smurfs and TinTin to name but a few :-)

              1. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                "Don't know any famous Belgians outside of Poirot? Are you mad?"

                No, I am not mad, but I seem to be single-handedly waving the banner of secretly self-deprecating British pretend-xenophobia, fighting off the barbarians who could evidently sit through Fawlty Towers: The Germans without cracking a smile (and who'd probably conclude that the humour was at the expense of the Teutons).

                1. Anonymous Coward
                  Anonymous Coward

                  Fawlty Towers seems quite popular in Belgium and I even had some German friends who liked it... as an aside.

                  I think Belgium also holds the record for the most parliaments per capita and perhaps per square kilometer too :-)

                  It may also have the record for the longest period without a government in a Western country.

                  These last two are just speculation on my part...

                2. Grikath

                  "who could evidently sit through Fawlty Towers: The Germans without cracking a smile "

                  That's not difficult, as Cleese isn't nearly as funny as he thinks he is.

              2. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                "Gerardus Mercator, Leo Baekeland, Georges Lemaître , Jacky Ickx, Eddy Merckx, Justine Henin"

                Famous?! I have never heard of any of those before now...

                1. WolfFan Silver badge

                  "Gerardus Mercator, Leo Baekeland, Georges Lemaître , Jacky Ickx, Eddy Merckx, Justine Henin"

                  Famous?! I have never heard of any of those before now...

                  Mercator -- map maker

                  Baekeland -- plastics

                  Lemaître -- the Big Bang Theory

                  Ickx -- race-car driver

                  Merckx -- no clue

                  Henin -- tennis player.

                  If you've really never heard of Mercator, you paid no attention in geography class. Really. And if you've really never heard of Lemaître, you probably didn't pay much attention in physics class, either.

              3. x 7

                TinTin? Belgian?

                Come off it, that girl was Malaysian.

            2. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              "In fact Belgian punches above its weight for well known people given its size."

              Doesn't every country in the world (of any size) claim that, with the sole exception of Wales? I suppose the Belgians can take comfort that at least they weren't born Welsh.

              In fact, maybe there's a way forward for Belgian odd-denomination coins: Countries we Belgies are glad we're not.

              1. PNGuinn
                Trollface

                Everyone EXCEPT WALES??

                So - How many countries can claim the honour of HAVING AN FUNDEMENTAL UNIT OF MEASUREMENT named after them???

                El Reg - can you confirm that the vacuum propelled sheep is in fact also Welsh? Enquiring Standards Engineers NEED TO KNOW.

            3. Stoneshop
              Boffin

              Reg Units please

              In fact Belgian punches above its weight for well known people given its size.

              You need to express that in Norris per Jub per Wales, so that we can get a meaningful number to rate different countries.

        2. Stoneshop

          Let's face it, the list of famous Belgians probably has a single entry,

          There's also Eddy Merckx, a famous messenger from the war between the Romans and the Belgians.

  8. tony2heads
    Go

    How about more annoying the French!

    UK coins for

    Agincourt, Crecy, Sluys

    Or perhaps for wider EU support Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: How about more annoying the French!

      To be fair we celebrate Dunkirk as if it was a victory when in fact it was our troops running away as fast as they could.

      Thatr's not intended as a slur on their bravery, it was the right thing to do it's just that we seem to act as if it was some great victory.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: How about more annoying the French!

        "To be fair we celebrate Dunkirk as if it was a victory"

        We were fortunate that at the time Hitler still seems to have thought there was a possibility of making peace with Britain. German soldiers have said after the war that they were reluctant to shoot.

        But we're British - celebrating massive cock-ups is what we do, it's part of the national culture of self-deprecation.

        1. fandom

          Re: How about more annoying the French!

          The British were incredibly lucky that Hitler ordered Guderian twice to stop his advance, thing were going so well that Hitler thought it had to be a trap.

          He had to order it twice because the first time Guderian asked for permission to send reconnaissance patrols and then proceeded to send all his troops to "reconnaissance".

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: How about more annoying the French!

            "He had to order it twice because the first time Guderian asked for permission to send reconnaissance patrols and then proceeded to send all his troops to "reconnaissance"."

            Guderian's problem was that he just wanted to win the war, whereas Hitler wanted to kill anybody he disapproved of in the largest possible numbers, allow his toadies to loot the world, and demonstrate that he was the greatest military geenius of the 20th century. It's slightly amusing that Hitler kept complaining about his generals, because in the end he became their biggest obstacle to doing the job properly.

        2. Voland's right hand Silver badge

          Re: How about more annoying the French!

          To be fair we celebrate Dunkirk as if it was a victory

          Indeed.

          This is besides the fact of UK history book carefully erased the fact that the Dunkirk evacuation was possible only because one acting Brigadier General named de Gaulle counterattack at Abbeville. So the Germans could not advance on Dunkirk without opening their flanks and inviting themselves into a nice pocket.

          I am going to leave the fact that allies (including British 1st armoured division) actually _WON_ the battle of Abbevile, however, instead of using their first win in WW2 (by breaking out of the Dunkirk pocket and counterattacking) the British retreated across the channel.

          The Dunkirk "great military achievement" should share the same "wall of shame" with the whole home fleet chasing one pocket battleship (and losing a capital ship in the process), allowing the channel run and withdrawing a whole fleet group including multiple heavy cruisers, ship of the line and an aircraft carrier and running away as fast as their engines can deliver after deciphering an Enigma order for the other pocket battleship to attack the PQ17.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: How about more annoying the French!

            "the whole home fleet chasing one pocket battleship (and losing a capital ship in the process"

            As I recall, the Hipper-class cruisers (AKA "pocket battleships") never sank a capital ship, although I suspect you're referring to the Bismarck and Hood, a battle in which both navies lost their flagships. As with the Battle of Jutland, the outcome of the Bismarck encounter was a clear strategic win for the Royal Navy, even though tactically the best you could say was that it was a draw.

            Ignoring the U-boats, the performance of the Kriegsmarine was dismal in WW2, despite well trained sailors and far better equipment than the Royal Navy had.

            1. James O'Shea

              Re: How about more annoying the French!

              The HIPPER cruisers were excellent designs (which didn't so much break the relevant naval treaties as crush them...) but weren't 'pocket battleships'. Those were DEUTSCHLAND/LUTZOW, SCHEER, and GRAF SPEE. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutschland-class_cruiser

              1. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: How about more annoying the French!

                "The HIPPER cruisers were excellent designs (which didn't so much break the relevant naval treaties as crush them...) but weren't 'pocket battleships'. "

                Correction accepted, but the Deutschland class cruisers didn't sink any Allied capital ships either.

          2. James O'Shea

            Re: How about more annoying the French!

            "The Dunkirk "great military achievement" should share the same "wall of shame" with the whole home fleet chasing one pocket battleship (and losing a capital ship in the process), allowing the channel run and withdrawing a whole fleet group including multiple heavy cruisers, ship of the line and an aircraft carrier and running away as fast as their engines can deliver after deciphering an Enigma order for the other pocket battleship to attack the PQ17."

            BISMARCK was most definitely not a 'pocket battleship'. It was the largest and most powerful superdreadnought battleship afloat at the time, superior to all Royal Navy dreadnoughts ever built and to every American dreadnought prior to the WASHINGTONs and to the Japanese dreadnoughts prior to the YAMATOs. However, in the words of Joe Stalin, quantity has a quality all its own, so BISMARCK was gang-banged after being crippled by air attack. TIRPITZ was a (slightly) improved BISMARCK and was sunk by air attack. The 'pocket battleships' were the DEUTSCHLAND/LUTZOW class panzerschiffs, which were really more like large armored cruisers. (DEUTSCHLAND, the lead ship in the class, was renamed LUTZOW to avoid the propaganda hit should it get sunk.)

            As for PQ-17, if TIRPITZ had gotten loose it would have wiped out the entire escort. Yes, it was that much superior to anything available.

            1. Voland's right hand Silver badge

              Re: How about more annoying the French!

              As for PQ-17, if TIRPITZ had gotten loose it would have wiped out the entire escort. Yes, it was that much superior to anything available.

              Cough, cough:

              0. Immediate escort: 6 destroyers

              1. Close escort: Cruisers HMS London, HMS Norfolk, USS Wichita, USS Tuscalusa and four destroyers

              2. Second level escort: Aircraft carrier HMS Victorious, Battleship HMS Duke of York, cruisers HMS Cumberland and HMS Nigeria, Battleship USS Washington, and nine destroyers

              Grand total: aircraft carrier, 2 Battleships, 6 cruisers, 19 destroyers with an additional home fleet task force within 300 nautical miles to reinforce if need be.

              Against one battleship Tirpitz, one heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer with destroyer escort ~ 8 of them at the time.

              Cough, cough, cough.

              Yeah, I know, I am coughing just like my mom's adoptive father at the mere mentioning of Lord Dudley and the other "ranks" in the British fleet. Hint - the old man fought the war as a submariner from day one till the 9 of may and in 1942 he was a senior officer on the K21. I tend to believe him that Tirpitz turned back to port for a "technical" reason as a result of meeting them not just because the convoy spread out.

              1. James O'Shea

                Re: How about more annoying the French!

                "2. Second level escort: Aircraft carrier HMS Victorious, Battleship HMS Duke of York, cruisers HMS Cumberland and HMS Nigeria, Battleship USS Washington, and nine destroyers"

                I'd forgotten about WASHINGTON being available. TIRPITZ, SCHEER, and eight destroyers could have handled the close and immediate escorts before the 2nd-level escort got close. That would leave the 2nd-level escort. Get past them, and by the time that the distant escort got in range, there wouldn't have been much left of the convoy, and TIRPITZ & Co would have been hauling ass for Norway at best speed, calling up U-boats and aircraft as they went... except that I forgot about WASHINGTON. WASHINGTON and DUKE OF YORK together would have been enough to see TIRPITZ off. DUKE OF YORK on its lonesome... say 'bye-bye'. I just looked up the RN order of battle. My bad.

      2. Turtle

        Re: How about more annoying the French!

        "To be fair we celebrate Dunkirk as if it was a victory when in fact it was our troops running away as fast as they could. That's not intended as a slur on their bravery, it was the right thing to do it's just that we seem to act as if it was some great victory."

        As Churchill said at the time, "We must be very careful not to assign to this deliverance the attributes of a victory".

        (Churchill if I recall did want to sent the whole of the RAF to France at the start of the war but his war chiefs refused, wisely.)

      3. John Savard

        Re: How about more annoying the French!

        Dunkirk wasn't a victory, but it was a miracle worth celebrating; Britain managing to get the troops out alive. And that helped with the prosecution of the war too, since they lived to fight another day. Turning a rout into a retreat is a positive, not a negative.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: How about more annoying the French!

      Make it an Olympic event.

    3. Gray Ham Bronze badge

      Re: How about more annoying the French!

      <cough>

      Patay

      </cough>

      1. tony2heads

        Re: How about more annoying the French!

        Not fair having a saint on your side at the time!

  9. This post has been deleted by its author

  10. Your alien overlord - fear me

    How about a commemorative 18 pound 15 pence note?

    Or some 39p and 45p coins for our German buddies?

    1. Small Furry Animal

      ... as well as ...

      "Or some 39p and 45p coins for our German buddies?"

      some 19p and 66p coins to commemorate the 50th anniversary next year (we'll probably never win it again)

      1. Spamfast

        Re: ... as well as ...

        some 19p and 66p coins to commemorate the 50th anniversary next year (we'll probably never win it again)

        "We"? I was two at the time and I'm pretty sure I didn't contribute. (If Alf had asked me, mind ...)

        Were you even alive?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "How about a commemorative 18 pound 15 pence note?"

      The £18 5p one first. That laid the foundations for 1815. That, and the rather significant events of 1812.

      Given our awkward relationships with Russia, they've rescued us by German overreach three times since 1800. Perhaps we should issue a commemorative 1815 gold ruble.

    3. Fred Dibnah

      Eddie Hitler might be able to oblige:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af86I5Er_Mc

    4. This post has been deleted by its author

  11. TeeCee Gold badge
    Facepalm

    Dear France.

    You lost.

    Get over it.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Being Belgian, plucky and all...

    I would like to add the comment that barely a few weeks after the French climbed on their high chevaux and protested about our coin, they starded off in ze general direction of the US in a replica sailboat to commemorate their involvement in fighting the plucky Americans wanting independence.

    And, of course, getting their derrieres duly kicked as they always do.

    1. Bloakey1

      Re: Being Belgian, plucky and all...

      <snip>

      "And, of course, getting their derrieres duly kicked as they always do."

      Actually you could not be more wrong. They have a military history of winning battles going back thousands of years and even eclipsing the English.

      Now if you were to state the above about the Americans then I would be in agreement.

    2. FrogsAndChips Silver badge

      Re: Being Belgian, plucky and all...

      If the sailboat you're referring to is the Hermione, may I remind you that LaFayette was fighting WITH the Americans and that the culs that got kicked were no other than English?

    3. Sorry that handle is already taken. Silver badge

      Re: Being Belgian, plucky and all...

      I would like to add the comment that barely a few weeks after the French climbed on their high chevaux and protested about our coin, they starded off in ze general direction of the US in a replica sailboat to commemorate their involvement in fighting the plucky Americans wanting independence.

      And, of course, getting their derrieres duly kicked as they always do.

      The French helped the Americans gain independence you silly git.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Being Belgian, plucky and all...

        Your git comment aside, what they actually did was declare war on the English (with the help of the Dutch and the Spanish, of course) . They did it because the wanted revenge for getting the rear of their anatomy badly battered in the seven year war. They ended up with a giant financial hangover, which indirectly caused the French revolution, git wise. And, of course, we're not mentioning the French losses that ran into the thousends. A cause for celebration by the French even today, I'm sure.

        Of course Franklin was already talking to the English behind the French's back, and so they got very little if aything out of the peace settlement.

        But, as you correctly remarked, the word 'with'as in 'with the Americans' is sadly missing from my writings.

  13. Dr_N

    The big question...

    How many portions of frites does the coin buy you....?

  14. RainForestGuppy

    Reverse Side

    Shouldn't this be the regimental crest of two crossed dead Frenchmen emblazoned on a mound of dead Frenchmen motif.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ligne Maginot 3p piece?

    It's only good for giving away...

  16. Adam 1

    Commemorating a French military defeat? Hardly hens teeth.

    1. Peter Simpson 1
      FAIL

      Well, we USAians *did* rush in to Vietnam as they were leaving. So perhaps there's a lower rung on the ladder...

      // seems to be the correct icon

  17. Richard 81

    Thanks El Reg.

    That's Father's Day sorted :)

    ...assuming it turns up on time.

  18. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

    Stop annoying Les Frogs

    otherwise they'll send a raiding party to rescue Emperor Napolleon III who lies burried in Hampshire and still refuse to return a couple of Henry's who are entombed in France.

    1. Bloakey1

      Re: Stop annoying Les Frogs

      Well it seems to be contagious, I was in Jersey last week and they were doing a Waterloo comemoration 2 pound coin and see below for the English take on it:

      http://www.royalmint.com/our-coins/events/the-200th-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-waterloo

    2. James O'Shea

      Re: Stop annoying Les Frogs

      "otherwise they'll send a raiding party to rescue Emperor Napolleon III who lies burried in Hampshire and still refuse to return a couple of Henry's who are entombed in France."

      That's a win-win. And if we could get them (or, perhaps, the Germans) to remove the squatters currently infesting a certain large government-owned building in London SW1A 1AA, why that would be an even bigger win-win. I'm not overly fond of Ollie Cromwell or Maxie Robespierre, but they did have a way of dealing with such annoyances.

    3. cortland

      Re: Stop annoying Les Frogs

      Sneak them out one MICROHenry at a time.

  19. Mud5hark

    Lets move to Afganistan

    Just bought one for my bro' as he is into all of this, what a web site - would not work in SeaMonkey, had to blow the cobwebs off IE. Complained about the +44 I put in my tel. number and sneakily changed back to the default country (or land as it charmingly put it) of Afganistan - only noticed when it billed me €6 + €2 delivery to my UK address in Afganistan. So went back and corrected the address and now delivery to the UK is €5.50!!! So do Belgium have a special deal with Afganypost?

  20. thomas k

    "... just a happy accident"

    I guess you could say that's an accident just waiting to happen.

  21. disgruntled yank

    Hmm

    I have no dog in this fight, but didn't Wellington, for very good reason, distrust his Belgian troops--who were not happy to have been given the Prince of Orange as sovereign--and take care to place the Netherlands regiments between the more reliable British and German troops?

  22. Dave 15

    Good for the Belgiums

    They have gone up in my estimation

    Pity we rerouted the eurostar into St Pancras... can never understand why we stopped rubbing the collective French nose in 'Waterloo' when they visited :) Good fun

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Trollface

    Maybe the French can retaliate with their own coin?

    An odd denomination Euro coin inscribed with "Belgium--speed bump for German armies since 1914!"

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

  24. x 7

    so....why has the UK not commemorated Waterloo with a coin? If we wanted to mint a special pound or two-pound or a crown, theres nothing les frogs could do as they could hardly interfere with a non-euro denomination.

    1. Bloakey1

      x 7

      Wrote:

      <snip>

      The UK has chosen to commemorate it with three UK coins and one Jersey one. See my post above for links.

      1. x 7

        thanks for that

        I wasn't aware. Now we need some postage stamps, would be nice to send a few random letters to french officials with appropriate stamps. You could really annoy the right wingers like le Pen

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          "You could really annoy the right wingers like le Pen"

          Le Point used to do this by simply referring to the FN as the "Partie Lepéniste". Nowadays UKIP and the FN are more or less on the same side, so it might not have the desired effect. Napoleon, after all, just tried to create an earlier version of the EU.

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