2011 AD., Belgium, Albert II, 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day commemorative, Brussels mint, 2 Euro, KM 308.

Belgium, Albert II, 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day commemorative, engravers: Luc Luycx (reverse), Brussels mint (head of archangel St. Michael with cross on top), mint master Serge Lesens (feather), 2011 AD.,
2 Euro (25,8 mm / 8,44 g), bimetallic, brass plated nickel center in a copper-nickel ring, 8,50 g. theor. mint weight, mintage 5.000.000 , medal alignment ↑↑ (0°),
Obv.: (feather) BE (head of archangel) / I.VAN DIEST - 2011 - M.POPELIN , portraits of of Isala Van Diest, the first female Belgian doctor, and Marie Popelin, the first female Belgian lawyer facing, Venus symbol representing femininity as background design, their names (I. VAN DIEST and M. POPELIN) below, separated by the date, above the inscriptions are the symbols of their respective professions (to left, the Staff of Asklepios and the Scales of Justice right); above is the country indication BE, flanked by privy marks: the mint master mark (feather) to left and the mint mark (head of archangel) to r.; all encircled by the twelve stars of Europe.
Rev.: 2 EURO / LL , map of Europe (2nd map type), to right 6 lines and twelve stars of Europe on the edge; engraver´s initials LL to r. below O .
Edge: 2 ** 2 ** 2 ** 2 ** 2 ** 2 ** , reeded edge with lettering: six times "2" alternately upside and upside down, divided by two stars.
KM 308 .
from circulation

Year / Mintage
2011 5,000,000
2011 7,500 (proof)
2011 6,000 (in sets)

Anne Catherine Albertine Isala Van Diest, better known by the name 'Isala Van Diest, born on May 7, 1842 at Louvain and died February 6, 1916 in Knokke was the first female medical doctor and the first female university graduate in Belgium. Many of her patients came from the upper classes of Brussels society, but she also treated pensioners at a nursing home for elderly prostitutes and fought for better treatment for prostitutes. A feminist, she founded the Ligue belge du droit des femmes (Belgian Women's Rights League) with Marie Popelin, the first Belgian woman to receive a degree in Law.

Marie Popelin, née à Schaerbeek le 16 décembre 1846 et morte le 5 juin 1913 à Ixelles, est une avocate et féministe belge.
Elle a collaboré avec Isabelle Gatti de Gamond au développement de l'enseignement féminin en Belgique. Elle devient en 1888 la première femme docteur en droit du pays.

The directors of the Monnaie Royale de Belgique/Koninklijke Munt van België (Royal Belgian Mint) in Brussels uses mint master's marks on all €2 commemorative coins and on all Belgian euro coins with a datestamp from 2008 onwards minted at this location. January 1, 2009, Serge Lesens was appointed as the head of the Belgian Royal Mint and thus all the coins minted since then were showing a feather as a mint master mark. Now, Mr. Lesens reached the retirement age and left the mint on June 1, 2012 after more than 36 years of service and till the mint finds a new director, Bernard Gillard, will be the new acting head.