Musical Resonance

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Belgium issued a 1,000-franc bank note during the reign of King Baudouin I of Belgium (r. 1951-93). The high-denomination note, produced from 1980 to 1996, was a standout collectible for several reasons. It pictures a musical instrument on one side and a stylized view of an inner ear on the other. The face of the note also depicts composer André Ernest Modeste Grétry (1741-1813). 

Study in Italy

Originally from the Prince-Bishopric of Liege (present-day Belgium), Grétry ended up in France and eventually took French citizenship. His compositions were popular, and he served as an influence for both Mozart and Beethoven. As a boy, he hoped to study music in Italy. When he was 18, he composed a mass that was impressive enough to fund his travel and study in Rome at the College de Liege, where he received his musical education under the tutelage of Giovanni Battista Casali. 

From Rome he traveled and wrote his way to Geneva, and then finally to Paris. He was, for a time, a starving artist. But he was persistent and continued to write music that was highly praised. His comic operas were very well received, and he became a not-so-starving artist. He produced around 50 operas during his lifetime. 

In addition to being the first to write music for an instrument called a tuba curva, he liked to use mandolins in his works. What I had always considered to be a violin on the bank note may actually be a mandolin. I defer to anyone who can shed some light on the instrument pictured on this note. According to numista.com, it is a bass violin. As a composer, Grétry is critiqued and remembered with a mixture of meh and marvel. Other composers riffed on his work and enjoyed success with musical ideas that had first formed in Grétry’s mind. 

Sound Waves

The back of the bank note features a balanced design with some abstract elements. The tuning forks are easy to recognize, but I had to look up the colorful rendering on the right as I had no clue what it was supposed to represent, although the tuning forks would have been a clue had I picked up on it. I discovered it represents the inner ear, and possibly sound waves. When I read the design description, I fancied that I recognized one of the bones of the middle ear in the midst of it all. You might remember having studied hammers, anvils, and stirrups in science class. I never thought that knowledge would serve me as I research bank notes. 

Belgium’s 1,000-franc note issued from 1980 to 1996 celebrates the musical contributions of composer André Grétry and pictures the workings of the inner ear on the back. (Photos: Benjamin Swagerty)

Musical Theme

I have spent some time trying to envision a relationship between the designs, instruments, and the people on this bank note. A watermark depicts someone other than Grétry. It may be Edgar Willems, who died two years before this note was issued. A music teacher and inventor of auditory instruments, Willems’s work with sound frequencies and sound perception in the early 1900s still resonate to this day. His work and inventions resulted in the development of musical theory and curriculum for children. 

It is interesting to think that Belgium has done a variation on this musical theme before. The country issued a bank note with a portrayal of Adolphe Sax, a musical-instrument inventor, on the front and the American musician Charlie Parker uncredited on the back. The lovely note shown here has the prominent musician Grétry on the front, and an uncredited watermark and design that allude to the work of Edgar Willems on the back. 

In terms of collectability, this note is readily available. It would appeal to collectors of musicians, instruments, scientific equipment, sound waves, and human biology. Bank notes like this can awaken curiosity in unexpected ways. I still am not entirely sure of what or who I am seeing on this note. If you have any insights or clues that support or contradict my thoughts, I would appreciate hearing them. Have a jewel of a day! 

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A version of this article appears in the May 2026 issue of The Numismatist (money.org)