1 guilder William II (Dutch coin)

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This article is about the Dutch 1 guilder coin struck under the reign of William II (1840-49). For other Dutch 1 guilder coins, see Dutch 1 guilder coins.
1 Guilder (Netherlands)
Mass: 10.00 g
Diameter: 28 mm
Composition: 94,5% Ag, ?
Alignment: {{{alignment}}}
Years of Minting: 1840~1849
Circulation:  ?–
31 December 1931
Obverse
Obverse
Design: Face value, year, privy mark (left), mint mark (right). Coat of arms. Country-designation.
Designer:  ?
Reverse
Reverse
Design: King William II
Designer: David van der Kellen jr.
Edge: Plain, God be with us ("GOD ZY MET ONS")

The Dutch 1 guilder coin struck under the reign of King William II was a unit of currency in the Netherlands.

[edit] History

After the ascension of William II to the Dutch throne a new design for coins depicting the monarch was made. For the rest, nothing about the design of coinage changed. After some trial strikes dated 1840, production began in 1842 and continued without interruption until 1849; the year in which William II died. The year with the highest mintage was 1848, 13,6 million, or 38.7% of the total amount struck is dated 1848.

As a result of the rising silver prices after the First World War, from 1922 onward the silver content of most Dutch coins were lowered. Then, on 31 December 1931 all Dutch guilder coins struck prior to 1922 were redeemed and demonetized. The amount of coins handed in this way was quite low, probably many of them had been melted down for their silver content.


[edit] Design

The design of 1 guilder coins has not changed much between 1818 and 1945.

The obverse depicts:

  • The year of mintage
  • Value (1 – G). Also (100 c.) was put under the coat of arms, thus was done to help people adjust to the decimal system (introduced in 1816)
  • Privy mark (left of the coat of arms), of the director of the Utrecht-mint.
  • Mint mark (right of the coat of arms)of the Utrecht-mint.
  • The Crowned Dutch coat of arms.
  • Country-designation: “MUNT VAN HET KONINGRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN”; Coin of the kingdom of the Netherlands.

The reverse depicts:

  • Portrait of William II facing left, with the artist’s signature in the lower right corner of his neck.
  • Title of William II: “WILLEM II KONING DER NEDERLANDEN Groot.Hertog.Van.Luxemburg.”; William II, king of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg.

The edge: Plain, God be with us ("GOD ZY MET ONS")