Netherlands releases Zeeland, the sixth in its Twelve Provinces silver ducat coin series
We have to go back to 1586 (1659 for silver) for the birth of the Ducat coin in the Netherlands and today, well over four centuries later, they’re still being produced with the same weight, composition and general design, although now for collectors. Spread around the world by the dominance of Dutch international trade, it is, like the British Sovereign, an icon of numismatics.
The current series of silver ducats being issued by the Royal Dutch Mint is called ‘Twelve Provinces’. They share a common obverse (except the date), and the reverse design apes the original, but is tweaked with the shield carrying the coat-of-arms of one of the twelve provinces that constitute the Netherlands, and a period figure from the province taking the place of the original knight. The obverse carries the current Dutch crest, along with the Latin text ‘CONDORDIA RES PARAVE CRESCUNT’ (in harmony small things grow).
This sixth coin makes no changes to the format, still being struck in the unusual 0.873 fineness silver and with a weight of 28.25 grams. Struck to a proof finish, mintage is limited to 4,000 pieces and the coin comes packaged in a neat box with a certificate of authenticity.
The subject matter this time is Zeeland, with the shield of the province being held by the figure of Lamoraal I van Gevere in knights armour. The inscription BELGII ZEL MO NO ARG REG surrounds the central artwork. Selling for €49.95, the coin is available to order from the mints shop right now. Dutch buyers can benefit from a subscription that brings with it a neat collectors box that holds all twelve coins. We’ve almost finished a Coin Series Profile to the series which should be up tomorrow.
2017 ZEELAND / LAMORAAL VAN GAVERE
Lamoral, Count of Egmont, Prince of Gavere (November 18, 1522 – June 5, 1568) was a general and statesman in the Spanish Netherlands just before the start of the Eighty Years’ War, whose execution helped spark the national uprising that eventually led to the independence of the Netherlands.
The Count of Egmont was at the head of one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the Low Countries. During his youth, he received a military education in Spain. In the service of the Spanish army, he defeated the French in the battles of Saint-Quentin (1557) and Gravelines (1558). Egmont was appointed stadtholder of Flanders and Artois in 1559, aged only 37.
Together with William, Prince of Orange and the Count of Horn, he protested against the introduction of the inquisition in Flanders by the cardinal Antoine Perrenot Granvelle, bishop of Arras. Egmont even threatened to resign, but after Granvelle left, there was a reconciliation with the king. Soon thereafter, the ‘Beeldenstorm’ started, the massive iconoclasm of Catholic churches in the Netherlands, and resistance against the Spanish rule in the Netherlands increased. As a devout Catholic, Egmont deplored the iconoclasm, and remained faithful to the Spanish king.
After Philip II sent the Duke of Alba to the Netherlands, William of Orange decided to flee Brussels. Upon arrival, Alba almost immediately had the counts of Egmont and Horn arrested on charges of heresy, and imprisoned them in a castle in Ghent. Pleas for amnesty came to the Spanish king from throughout Europe, including from many reigning sovereigns, the Order of the Golden Fleece, and the king’s kinsman the Emperor Maximilian II, all to no avail. On 4 June Egmont and Horn were condemned to death, and lodged that night in the maison du roi. On June 5, 1568, both men were beheaded in the Grand Place in Brussels, Egmont’s uncomplaining dignity on the occasion being widely noted. Their deaths led to public protests throughout the Netherlands, and contributed to the resistance against the Spaniard
SPECIFICATION AND OBVERSE
| SPECIFICATION | |
|---|---|
| DENOMINATION | Ducat |
| COMPOSITION | 0.873 Silver |
| WEIGHT | 28.25 g |
| SIZE | 40.0 mm |
| FINISH | Proof |
| MINTAGE | 4,000 |
| PACKAGING | Box, Set packaging for all 12 coins available |
| CERTIFICATE | Yes |
COIN AND SET PRESENTATION
ADVERTISEMENTS
Leave A Comment