Leopold I, whose full name was Leopold George Christian Frederick van Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, was the first King of Belgium after Belgium gained its independence in 1830. His reign began on July 21, 1831. Leopold and all the Belgian kings who followed him were descendants of the German House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. He was born on December 16, 1790 in Coburg as the youngest child of Ferenc Lipót, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Countess Augusta Reuss-Ebersdorf. The family later took the name Saxe-Coburg-Gotha when his father traded the castle of Ehrenburg, now in Bavaria, for the city of Coburg. Through his sister, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, later Queen of Britain, Prince Lipót became the uncle of Queen Victoria of Britain, born in 1819. During Lipót's reign, he faced many challenges. He won the independence of Belgium and became the first Belgian king. All Belgian kings who followed him were descendants of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. During Lipót's reign, he took an active role in Belgian political and social life. Lipót was married twice. His first wife was Princess Augusta Sarolta of Wales, and his second wife was Princess Marie Louise of France. His children include II. King Leopold of Belgium and Empress Sarolta of Mexico. Leopold and the following Belgian kings are descendants of the German House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to this day. They created the modern monarchy of Belgium. During his life, Lipót did a lot for the Belgian people and his country. It was he who gave the Belgians the opportunity to have their own king.

During the reign of King Leopold I of Belgium (1831-1865), important changes and developments took place in Belgian coinage. One of the most important steps was the adoption of the new coinage ordinance in 1832, as a result of which the Belgian franc became the official currency. During his reign, new coins were issued to support the Belgian economy and trade. These coins had different denominations. The material of the coins was also changed during his reign. Some of the coins were made of silver, while others were made of bronze or copper. Portraits of King Leopold I appeared on the coins, which followed the traditional depiction of rulers. During his reign, coins were continuously issued, which stabilized the minting and the economy. These changes and developments strengthened the country's economy and financial system during his reign.