"Dutch money before the Euro" a Netherlands Travel Page by ATLC

On my <a href="http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/.179980/6/?s=d">Europe page</a> there are some useful tips about the Euro. But this travelogue is dedicated to the Dutch coins and banknotes. As of Jan. 1st 2002, we will use the Euro and all Dutch money will be extinct. I can imagine that the EMU countries, like us, have their particular money embedded in their language and culture. Will that also disappear over time?

The coins and notes shown here are still in roulation until January 28th 2002.

Commemorating the Union of Utrecht 1679-1979.
The words show: Grondslag van de Nederlandse Staat (Foundation of the State of The Netherlands).
On each and every Rijksdaalder the rim shows the words: God zij met u (God be with you).

These heavy, gold-coloured coins, were not made very often. They are worth 5 guilders, obviously. They replaced the earlier green 5 guilder banknotes in the 1980s.

The European Football Championships were held in The Netherlands and Belgium. This fiver was made to celebrate that.
The rim of the fiver also carries the words: God zij met u.

These are back and front of the new and old "stuiver" worth 5 cents.

This "dubbeltje" from 1948 depicts Queen Wilhelmina, mother of Queen Juliana, grandmother of Queen Beatrix. In this year, Juliana took over the reign from Wilhelmina.

The "kwartje" = 25 cents.

Also from 1948, the year that Queen Wilhelmina abdicated.

The Netherlands were said to have had the most beautiful banknotes in the world, others say that the banknotes look like Monopoly money. Judge for yourself!
50, 100 and 250 guilder banknotes.

The head of the coins depicts Queen Beatrix. The tail of the coins consist of the denomination and some lines and bars. These lines and bars have meaning which I'll try to explain below here.

<b>The bar </b>
-->10 cent coin and 1 guilder coin: 1 whole bar (1 = the main figure)
-->5 cent coin and 5 guilder coin: the bar divided in two halves (because they are essentially halves 1)
-->25 cents and 2.5 guilders = bar divided in 4 (they are essentially quarters)

<b>The lines </b>
-->5 and 10 cent coins have just vertical lines - being the smallest denomination
-->25 cent coins and 1 guilder have vertical and horizontal lines
-->2.5 guilder coins and 5 guilder coins have vertical/ horizontal AND diagonal lines - being the largest denomiation in coins.

Of course the size of the coins gives the worth away, but a blind person could also "see" its worth by feeling for the bar and lines.
The philosophy is that the worth of the coins is explained in the bars and lines, and is also explained in a "three-dimensional" way, when in fact it is two dimensional. Without the actual number on the coins, depicting the value, one could also understand the value by just looking at or feeling the bars and lines.

There's probably a mathematical explanation to all this but I'm not very good at that :-)

This is since 1980 when Queen Beatrix succeeded Queen Juliana.

<b> Special names </b>
A 5 cent coin is a "stuiver"
A 10 cent coin is a "dubbeltje" (dime)
A 25 cent coin is a "kwartje" (quarter)
A 2.5 guilder coin is a "rijksdaalder" (state thaler)

The "Tientje" is the 10 guilder banknote. There are two variations.

This is an older 100 guilder banknote which is still valid (until the Euro).

Alas! No 1000 guilder banknote in my possession...

Some banknotes have their equivalent in coins. Usually made for special occassions. Here's a silver 10 guilder piece, head and tail the same.

A silver 10 guilder piece to commemorate 25 yrs after World War II, 1945-1970. Depicting Queen Juliana on head and Queen Wilhelmina on tail. Saying: Nederland Herrijst (The Netherlands emerges) on both sides. These coins are bigger than the later silver 10 guilder pieces. Too much silver needed!

Silver ten guilder piece commemorating the Benelux 1944-1994. With the three parliamentary buildings and the national coats of arms of Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Silver ten guilder piece to commemorate Hugo de Groot (1583-1645, saying on the tail: De iure belli ac pacis.

Silver ten guilder piece with on the tail Dutch painter Jan Steen playing a lute-like instrument. Text: Wij schreuwe als leuwe (we roard as lions).

On the tail of this silver 10 guilder piece there is George C. Marshall with the words: European Recovery Program 1947.

In 1980 Queen Juliana abdicated in favour of her daughter Beatrix. This guilder was made in honour of that. Queen Juliana reigned from 1948-1980.

Hmm...I've got to get my history book out. This is a silver 50 guilder piece saying on the tail: Guille de Nassau in long hand and Prins Willem van Oranje (William of Orange) in small letters under it.

This silver 50 guilder piece was produced to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of Queen-mother Juliana and Prince Bernhard.

This 50 guilder silver coin was to celebrate the 25th wedding anniversary of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus. On the tail a silhouette of Prince Claus.

A very simply designed silver 50 guilder coin saying on the tail: Vijftig jaar bevrijding 1945-1995 (Fifty years liberation)...

A silver 50 guilder coin to commemorate 350 years Treaty of Munster. The tail says: De vreede klinkt van hier de geheele wereld door. Munster 1648. Vijftig gulden. (Peace is being heard from here throughout the world).

Well, that was it. Now all the stuff can go to the bank. In december each Dutch citizen over 6 yrs old will get a Eurokit with all the coins in it to get used to...am curious...
And to remember I bought this watch with a silver Dutch guilder (1967) as dial plate for a Christmas present.
<a href="http://www.koninklijkenederlandsemunt.nl/coinshop/default.asp?language=USA&">Royal Dutch Mint (in English)</a>

Queen Beatrix and on the other side the One Guilder. Note the solid bar and the lines. Explanation in chapter: Meaning of the Dutch coins.

Guilders made of silver were made until 1967. You can notice this immediately by the colour and the fact that they are a little heavier than the ordinary guilder. Still quite often in roulation.

This is the last guilder coin to be made. The Dutch Lion was a drawing by a little Dutch boy.
On the rim of each and every guilder there are the words: God zij met u (God be with you).

A special coin is the "Rijksdaalder" worth 2-and-a-half guiders. Literally translated the Rijksdaalder is a State's thaler. The Dutch proverb goes that your guilder is worth a thaler on the market.
The word "thaler" comes from St. Joachimstal (Germany) where the first thalers were made from 1520 onward.
The word "dollar" is also derived from "thaler".
<b>picture</b>: Rijksdaalder, 1970