Netherlands - Euro Coins

The Royal Dutch Mint as the successor to The Dutch Mint is probably Hollands oldest existing business. The first coins were minted in Utrecht about a thousand years ago. The Royal Dutch Mint has been in continuous operation since 1567.

 

Up until 1st January 2002 Holland's monetary system was based on the guilder, with 1 guilder equal to 100 cents. Now their monetary system is based on the euro.

 The Netherlands has chosen two designs by Bruno Ninaber van Eyben, both of Queen Beatrix.

Nederland

Nederland heeft voor twee ontwerpen gekozen van Bruno Ninaber van Eyben, beide met een beeltenis van Koningin Beatrix.

EUR 2

Netherlands coins celebrating important people, events and places

2006 - Netherlands - Rembrandt van Rijn - 5€ Proof

 On 15th July 2006, the Netherlands celebrated the 400th anniversary of Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn's birth. Rembrandt, who is considered the greatest Dutch artist of the Golden Age by those in the knowm already made quite an impression at a young age. Rembrandt's delicate touch with light and shade, use of bright colours and evident compassion for his fellow man warm the hearts of art lovers the wold over. And the Netherlands has also expressed its great pride in the artist by issuing a Rembrandt five-euro coin.

Rembrandt's life

As a young man, Rembrandt was extremely keen to make his mark as a painter, which prompted him to become an apprentice to first an artist from Leiden, then to Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam. When he later opened his own workshop in Leiden, his exceptional talent swiftly became apparent and he received major commissions from influential clients. He started training his own apprentices in 1627, before relocating to Amsterdam in 1631, as it was the place to be for an artist at the time. The move heralded a particularly favourable period for the hightly talented Rembrandt, in which he produced his best and most famous works: The Nightwatch, The Jewish Bride, The Steel Masters and his series of particularly appealing self-portraits. Rembrand died in 1669, at the age of 63, and lies interred in the Westerkerk in Amsterdam.

The design

Amsterdam artist Berend Strik is responsible for the design of the stunning coin. He drew his inspiration from a self-portrait of Rembrandt exhibited at the Mauritshuis Museum in the Hauge, the former home of Willian of Orange. In his use of embroidery stiching in both the portraits of Queen Beatrix and Rembrandt, Mr. Strik emanates the artisitc freedom so chracterisitic of the old master: "It was the finished result that counted in Rembrandt's opinion. He even went so far as to apply old fragments of chipped paint to achieve appealing contrasts!". Mr. Stik utilised various techniques in product his desing for the Rembrandt five-euro coin: he modelled the embroidery stiching on a lasered photograph. The result is a tangible keepsake commemorating the grand master of Dutch art.

On April 30, 1980, Queen Juliana signed the Act of Abdication and that same day, Princess Beatrix was coronated Queen of the Netherlands in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. To commemorate the event, the Royal Dutch Mint has issued this 10€ silver proof coin.

The coin was minted using the highly unique Minted Photo Imaging technique, where exceptionally detailed images are laser etched in the coin die. This makes it possible to put photographic images on coins.

The image laser etched onto this coin is that of Princess Beatrix the exact moment she took the oath making her Queen. The words, "Wij Zijn Samen één" ("Together we are one"), can be read across the reverse, continuing onto the obverse.

 

The 2007 bu set from the Netherlands marks a major change in the set's design. For the past several years the set had been dedicated to various important national causes and the color palette had been varied, applied to a constant design.

This new set marks the beginning of a 5 year program with these themes:2007: the currency symbol, 2008: the Queen's portrait, 2009: the mint master's mark, 2010: the Europa stars, 2006 - Netherlands - Leiden Rembrandt Proof Set

In commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Rembrandt’s birth, the city of Leiden in the Netherlands has issued local currency approved by the national government.

Rembrandt was born in Leiden which was the center of Netherlands’ national celebrations in 2006. The coins are denominated in “Rembrandts” and for the period of the festival were used to make local purchases, with one Rembrandt equal to 1 euro.

 In commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Rembrandt’s birth, the city of Leiden in the Netherlands has issued local currency approved by the national government.

Rembrandt was born in Leiden which was the center of Netherlands’ national celebrations in 2006. The coins are denominated in “Rembrandts” and for the period of the festival were used to make local purchases, with one Rembrandt equal to 1 euro.

The coins were distributed by the Dutch postal service which also assembled two collector sets: one in BU finish and one in proof.

Each proof set contains 5 coins, all struck in silver: one half-Rembrandt (26.00 mm), one 1-Rembrandt (26.5 mm)  and three 2-Rembrandts (30.00 mm)

The obverse of all coins bears a common design, the skyline of Leiden showing the buildings that were typical in the artist’s days and which still exist even today.

The reverses are all self-portraits of Rembrandt during his years in Leiden, complemented by designs of buildings that existed also during that time.

All coins are finished in proof and are encapsulated. Each set comes beautifully packaged in a handsome blue velour folder together with a numbered certificate of authenticity.

 This brilliant uncirculated set is dedicated to the Princess Beatrix Fund, a charity for patients suffering from Neuromuscular Diseases.

The set comes in a beautiful blue presentation folder, which outlines the Princess Beatrix Fund's cause. It also contains information on the Royal Dutch Mint, the Euro, and the Goede Doelen sets.

The coins contained in the set are the standard Netherlands Euro coins, which display a picture of Queen Beatrix in a field of stars.