The latest porcelain-embedded Royal Delft silver coin from Numiscollect is a lesson in Dutchness

One of the more unusual series of coins on the market today, Numiscollects Royal Delft series celebrates the work of the famed Dutch earthenware producer. Famous for their blue on white look, this fine-silver series uses that as the basis for their design. Called Land of Water, this refers to a country that almost a third of which sits below sea level.

This is the fourth coin to be released and this is probably the most ‘Dutch’ of them all. When one thinks of the Netherlands, despite being about as modern a country as any other, it’s always windmills and tulips that spring to mind. Numiscollect have employed these two iconic elements liberally and the use of CIT/BH Mayer’s proprietry SmartMinting technology has meant a highlt-detailed and high-relief strike is in evidence.

Using a mix of realism, as used on the tulips and the windmill, and a style reminiscent of Van Gogh (river and clouds), it’s a quintessentially picturesque scene of the Netherlands that anybody will instantly recognise. The series signature porcelain domed insert carries a hand-drawn image of a windmill scene – something that means each coin is unique, if only slightly. It’s a great looking scene and the strike looks first-class, as always.

The obverse is a custom job. Usually, a Cook Islands issue just has the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II sitting in the middle of the obverse, but there’s a huge, intricate patterned border surrounding it that lifts this face immensely. It’s a 50 gram coin, so a little over 1.5 ounces in weight, and it reaches out to an expansive 50 mm in diameter. A coin box containing a Certificate of Authenticity, all wrapped up in a coloured shipper completes the package. Available around March/April next year, these tend to sell for around €199. A niche subject for sure,  but thousands collect Royal Delft porcelain and this should have great appeal in that market.