Description
Batavian Republic, the Netherlands, Gold Ducat (3.41g, 21.50mm), 1800, Utrecht mint. Obverse: Dutch Knight stands facing to right adorned in studded armour and modestly plumed helmet, wielding sword in right hand which rests on his shoulder and a bundle of seven arrows, which represents the seven united provinces of the Netherlands, in his left, date in field, legend surrounds, “CONCORDIA RES PAR: CRES: TRAI:”. Reverse: Legend in five lines within square with ornate mantle, “MO: ORD: PROVIN: FOEDER: BELG· AD LEG· IMP.”. Schulman-36, Friedberg-317, KM-11.3. Some unfortunate scratches on reverse, otherwise obverse quite attractive, details Very Fine or better.
The gold Ducat was one of the denominations chosen during the Australian Proclamation of 1800 by Philip Gidley King, the Governor of New South Wales. It had a high face value of 9 Shillings Sixpence in order to disincentivize the removal of currency from within the Australian colonies. This coin, although a type struck by the Dutch Republic and her Colonial territories, is still considered a piece of Australia’s early colonial history as a proclamation piece.
The Obverse Latin legend reads “Concordia rēs parvæ crescent, Hollandiae”, with an English translation of “Small things thrive/come to be through unity, Holland mint”. The Reverse Latin legend reads “Monēta ōrdinum prōvinciārum foederātōrum Belgicārum ad lēgem imperiī”, with an English translation of “Series of Coinage of the Provincial Federation of Belgium in comformity to the Imperial Law”.