Zeeland 1593 1/2 noble Fr-305
This specimen was lot 59 in Schulman auction 388 (Amsterdam, December 2025), where it sold for €3,000 (about US$4,227 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"1/2 Leicesternobel, ZEELAND Provincie 1580 - 1795, 1593, Gold De graaf met zwaard in een schip waarop de zes wapenschildjes van de Verenigde Provincien, vlag met klimmende leeuw op achtersteven CONCORDIA - .RES. PARVAE. CRESCVNT. ZEL. Kz. pijlenbundel met zes pijlen in het hart van een stralenzon MO. ORDIN. PROVIN. FOEDER. BELGIAE. 1593.Uit de Zeeuwse Leeuw collectie. RRR. Uiterst zeldzaam Licht golvend Plaatje. Vrijwel zeer fraai. Delm. 876; V. 77.4; Fr-305 (65). (half Leicester noble of 1593, province of Zeeland. Obverse: the earl with sword, standing in a ship bearing the six small escutcheons of the United Provinces; a flag depicting a rampant lion flies from the stern. Legend: CONCORDIA RES PARVAE CRESCVNT (Through Concord, Small Things Grow). Reverse: A bundle of six arrows at the heart of a radiant sun. Legend: MO. ORDIN. PROVIN. FOEDER. BELGIAE. 1593. From the Zeeland Lion Collection. Extremely rare, Slightly wavy flan, About Very Fine.)"
Robert Dudley (1532-88) was earl of Leicester and a favorite of queen Elizabeth. Wikipedia comments, "A champion also of the international Protestant cause, he led the English campaign in support of the Dutch Revolt (1585–1587). His acceptance of the post of governor-general of the United Provinces infuriated Queen Elizabeth. The expedition was a military and political failure, and it ruined Leicester financially." This type was struck after the earl's death. Numista lists this coin for 1587 and 1593-95.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.82 g, gold, this specimen 3.70 g.
Catalog reference: Delm. 873; V. 77.3; Fr-302a.
- Delmonte, A., Le Bénélux D'or, Amsterdam: Jacques Schulman N.V., 1964, with supplements to 1977.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- 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.
- [1]Absil, Andrew, Olle Cederholm, Erik de Visser and Rik van Noorloos, Schulman sale 388: 145 Year Jubilee Sale, Amsterdam: Schulman b.v., 2025.
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