Netherlands East Indies 1938 1/2 cent
This specimen was lot 76563 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $65. The catalog description[1] noted, "NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES. Kingdom of the Netherlands. 1/2 Cent, 1938. Utrecht Mint. Wilhemina I. PCGS MS-66 Red." This type was struck at Utrecht 1914-16, 1921 and 1932-39. More were struck at Philadelphia in 1945 while the Netherlands was under Nazi occupation. The alloy is technically brass, tin being absent, but the low percentage of zinc means the coin lacks the typical yellowish tint of brass. The Dutch found their colony of the East Indies in full scale revolt when they returned after the war. In 1949, the Dutch gave up and granted Indonesia independence.
Recorded mintage: 3,600,000.
Specification: 2.3 g, brass, 17 mm diameter, plain edge.
Catalog reference: KM-314.2.
- Peters, T., J. Scheper and J. Mevius, Muntalmanak 2014, 31e editie, Amsterdam: Nederlandse vereniging van munthandelaren, 2013.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, September 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, including Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection and Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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