Belgium – Royal Coupple (Table medal)

Description

BELGIUM – Royal Wedding Table Medal of King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola, 1960
(Balduinus – Fabiola / Médaille commémorative du mariage royal)

Produced in connection with the marriage of King Baudouin of Belgium and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón, this bronze table medal commemorates one of the most important royal events in post-war Belgian history. The couple were married in Brussels on 15 December 1960. Baudouin had been King of the Belgians since 1951, while the Spanish-born Fabiola became Queen of the Belgians upon their marriage.

The obverse presents large, overlapping left-facing portraits of the royal couple in high relief. The composition places the youthful profiles closely together, emphasizing their marriage and shared position as king and queen. The modelling is sculptural rather than coin-like, confirming that the piece was intended as a commemorative table medal rather than a circulating coin or wearable decoration.

The reverse is deliberately simple, bearing a small Belgian royal crown above the Latinized names “BALDUINUS / FABIOLA.” Balduinus is the Latin form of Baudouin, also known as Boudewijn in Dutch. The use of Latin gives the design a formal and dynastic character commonly found on royal commemorative medals.

The portrait design is closely associated with the work of Belgian sculptor Alfred Courtens, who produced several medals and portrait sculptures of the Belgian royal family. Catalogued Courtens medals commemorating the 1960 royal marriage show comparable paired portraits and were issued in bronze in several sizes. Some versions also carry the wedding date XV-XII-MCMLX and references to the Belgian Red Cross. As no signature or date is clearly visible on this particular example, attribution to Courtens should be regarded as probable rather than conclusively confirmed.

This is not an official order or state decoration, but a privately or institutionally produced royal commemorative piece intended for collection, presentation or display. It represents the popularity of King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola and the widespread public interest surrounding their 1960 marriage.

Condition: Very Fine; strong and well-preserved portrait relief with clear royal crown and inscriptions. Attractive natural brown bronze patina with scattered darker toning, light contact marks and minor surface wear consistent with age. No major edge damage is visible.