12 Florins (Dutch West India Company; Recife)
New Holland • 12 Florins • Gold (.917) • 1645–1646
- Denomination
- 12 Florins
- Issuer
- New Holland
- Struck
- 1645–1646
- Composition
- Gold (.917)
- Currency
- Gulden
- Weight
- 7.72 g
- Diameter
- 19 mm
- Catalog refs
- KM 7 · Bentes 5 · Scho 1447a · AI Coins O005
Where to find one
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Where it came from
The 12-florin coin, struck in 1645, is a rare historical artifact from the short-lived Dutch colony of New Holland in northeastern Brazil. As the Dutch West India Company struggled to maintain its foothold in Recife against local uprisings, silver reserves grew scarce. The company chose to overstrike existing Spanish-American cobs or repurpose available silver, producing these irregular, square-shaped emergency coins known as obsidional coinage.
The design is strictly functional, reflecting the desperation of the siege environment. It features the emblem of the Dutch West India Company and a clear stamp denoting its 12-florin denomination, rather than the elaborate imagery found on contemporary European currency. Because they were minted in a wartime zone under intense pressure, their appearance is stark and unrefined, serving as an enduring witness to the collapse of the Dutch administration in the Americas.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
Who's collecting this
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About 12 Florins (Dutch West India Company; Recife)
12 Florins (Dutch West India Company; Recife) is a coin in the Coins catalog on collecto.rs. New Holland • 12 Florins • Gold (.917) • 1645–1646. Catalog data is sourced from Numista. No collectors on collecto.rs publicly track this coin yet — adding yours would make you the first.
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Where does the 12 Florins (Dutch West India Company; Recife) catalog entry come from?
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