Netherlands East Indies 1786 gulden KM-53
This specimen was lot 51280 in Stack's Bowers Hong Kong auction (Hong Kong, April 2021), where it sold for $576. The catalog description[1] noted, "NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES. Gelderland. Gulden, 1786. NGC Unc Details--Cleaned. Narrow date variety. Despite its details designation for the noted cleaning, this pleasing example exhibits little in the way of actual handling and presents a steely gray tone with alluring golden highlights." The "VOC" stamped below the arms of the obverse distinguishes this type from the regular gulden struck for the homeland. It was also struck in 1790. Silver gulden were issued for the East India Company by Westfriesland, Zeeland, Utrecht and Gelderland (shown here). We don't know why a distinctive design for the East Indies was considered necessary as gulden were already being struck for the metropolis. In 1794, the Dutch Republic was snuffed out by invading forces of the French Revolution. The East India Company was in an advanced state of decay and was abolished in 1799. The Low Countries did not regain their independence until 1815, with the formation of the kingdom of the Netherlands.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 10.61 g, 0.920 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-53; Delm-1186.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- van der Wis, Jan, and Tom Passon, Catalogus van de Nederlandse Munten geslagen sind bet aantreden van Philips II tot aan het einde van de Bataafse Republiek (1555-1806), 2nd ed., Apeldoorn, Netherlands: Omni-Trading b.v., 2009.
- Passon, Tom, Catalogus van de Munten van de Nederlandse Gebieden Overzee, vanaf 1601 tot heden, Apeldoorn, Netherlands, 2022.
- Scholten, C., The Coins of the Dutch Overseas Territories, 1601-1948, Amsterdam: Jacques Schulman, 1953.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The April 2021 Hong Kong Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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