Dutch East India Company coinage

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Bronze doit of the Dutch East India Company, depicting the company's monogram and its date of production.

The Dutch East India Company (Dutch: Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, often known as VOC) was a chartered company which issued a considerable series of coinage in bronze, silver and gold for its territories in the Far East between 1602 and 1799.

Background

The Dutch East India Company (VOC) was established as a chartered company in 1602 and was designed to replace a number of earlier Dutch trading companies.[1] To prevent the constant infighting between rival companies, the Dutch States-General gave the company officially-recognised status and allowed it fulfill some function usually reserved for a state. The company's charter allowed it to have its own military forces, make treaties and coin its own money.[1] It was given full powers to act between the Cape of Good Hope and the Straits of Magellan.[1] The company grew rapidly, founding towns and colonies at Cape Town, Batavia (modern Jakarta) and elsewhere.[1]

Coins

During the 200 years of its existence, VOC issued large quantities and many different patterns of coins.[2] Writers on the subject distinguish between the types produced in the Netherlands for the company and those issued by it locally in Asia.[2] Both types often circulated together, but European coins were more common in some areas than others.[2] Most coins issued for the company carried its distinctive monogram of the interlocked letters "VOC".[3] The most common denominations were the Guilder, Ducatoon, Stiver (or Stuiver) and Doit (Duit). Some fractions, like the Half-Doit, were also produced.

Coins were issued in the Netherlands during the mid-17th century and again from 1744 until its dissolution.[2] Coins were struck in gold, silver, bronze and, unusually, pewter.[2] They were issued by the local mints of the Netherlands, including Holland, Utrecht, Zeeland, Gelderland and Overijssel.[4]

The locally produced coins in Asia display more variation and were produced in gold, silver and bronze.[3] Countermarks are sometimes seen on these coins, either stamped by the company or by local private individuals.[5] Sometimes foreign coins, including Japanese Koban or Surat rupees, were sometimes countermarked by the company for its own use.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Bucknill 1931, p. 15.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Bucknill 1931, p. 16.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bucknill 1931, pp. 16-7.
  4. ↑ Dniewcollectors.
  5. ↑ Bucknill 1931, p. 17.
  6. ↑ Bucknill 1931, pp. 19-21.

Bibliography

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External links

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