5 cent of Napoleon III, 1853

For this period in general, not for this coin in particular.

In the 1840s a man in Belgian industry earned on average about 1.56 francs a day (0.80 franc in the flax industry). A 1-centime piece was therefore roughly one 150th of such a day's pay. Indicative: the figures come from one 1846 enquiry and do not hold for every region or sector.

Confidence: medium

Sources:

• Denise de Weerdt, Loon- en levensvoorwaarden van de fabrieksarbeiders 1789-1850 · Antwerpen, S.M. Ontwikkeling; online transcription. Wages from an 1846 enquiry.