Netherlands marks royal birthday with suite of coins
- Published: Apr 17, 2017, 6 AM
Willem-Alexander, king of the Netherlands, celebrates his 50th birthday on April 27.
To mark the milestone, the Royal Dutch Mint has issued four commemorative coins for the Netherlands.
In addition, the mint has issued two coins for the Netherlands Antilles.
Willem-Alexander is the first male to wear the Dutch crown since 1890, having acceded to the throne on April 30, 2013, after the abdication of his mother, Queen Beatrix, who followed her mother and grandmother on the throne.
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The four for the Netherlands feature the same design, except for the denominations, on the reverse.
The program offers a silver-plated Brilliant Uncirculated €10 coin, a Proof .925 fine silver €10 coin, and Proof .900 fine gold €20 and €50 coins.
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Each obverse shows the king surrounded by a pair of entwined ribbons, with inscriptions noting the nation of issue, the king’s name and the anniversary.
Each reverse features two more entwined ribbons that create a royal symbol. An inscription translates to “Encourage, Represent, Connect,” King Willem-Alexander’s motto.
The design pairs the king’s motto with a focus on water management, which has ancient roots in Dutch culture, according to the Royal Dutch Mint.
Willem-Alexander was chairman of the United Nations secretary-general’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, from 2006 until his enthronement in 2013, so water management is a longtime interest.
The coins are the largest diameter Dutch gold and silver coins, and under Dutch law, the €50, €20, and €10 denominations may only be used for royal themes.
The silver-plated coin weighs 15.5 grams, measures 33 millimeters in diameter, and has a mintage limit of 15,000 pieces. It retails for $19.50 from distributor Coin & Currency Institute.
The silver €10 coin weighs 25 grams, measures 38 millimeters in diameter, and has a mintage limit of 10,000 pieces. It retails for $67.50.
The gold €20 coin weighs 8.5 grams, measures 25 millimeters in diameter, and has a mintage limit of 1,000 pieces. It retails for $595.
The gold €50 coin weighs 13.44 grams and measures 27 millimeters in diameter. It has a mintage limit of 650 pieces and retails for $850.
Companions to the Dutch issues are two low-mintage coins for the Netherlands Antilles, which is composed of Curaçao and St. Maarten.
The Proof .925 fine silver 5-gulden coin and Proof .900 fine gold 10-gulden coin feature the standard image of the king, with 50 JAAR (50 years) added to the obverse of each.
The silver coin weighs 11.9 grams, measures 29 millimeters, and has a mintage limit of 600 pieces. It retails for $65.50.
The gold coin weighs 3.3645 grams and measures 18.5 millimeters in diameter. The coin has a mintage limit of 200 pieces and retails for $257.
The coins are being issued on April 24, with delivery to follow at the end of May.
To order, visit the distributor’s website.
Buyers should add $5.75 per order for insured shipping and handling.
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