$142,000.00 USD
The 1681 Holland 1 Gulden is a coin of the Dutch Republic's Golden Age, struck under the Province of Holland during the rule of William III (Stadtholder from 1672–1702). The standard 1 Gulden of this era was a silver coin tariffed at 20 stuivers, first introduced around 1680 as part of a new coinage featuring the allegorical Dutch Maiden (Pallas Athena).
The obverse bears a crowned shield with the rampant lion arms of Holland and the date, encircled by the Latin legend "MO : NO : ARGENT : COMIT : HOLL : 1681" (Moneta Nova Argentea Comitatus Hollandiae, meaning "New silver coin of the County of Holland").
The reverse depicts a standing female figure (the Dutch Maiden) leaning on a Bible atop a column and holding a spear topped by a liberty cap, with the motto "HAC NITIMVR, HANC TVEMVR" (Latin for "On her we lean, her we protect") around. This patriotic iconography symbolized the Dutch Republic's values of freedom and reliance on divine providence, hallmark themes of the Dutch Golden Age.
What makes the Delm-801 variety of the 1681 gulden extraordinary is that it is an off-metal strike in gold. While regular 1681 guldens were silver pieces (~10.6g, .920 fine silver), the Delm-801 is an extremely rare and special gold striking produced using the same dies. These gold strikings were likely presentation proofs or patterns intended for dignitaries or as trials, not for circulation.
According to numismatic references, they were struck in a range of weights corresponding to 4, 4½, and 5 ducats of gold. The specimen in question is at the 5-ducat weight (17.47g), making it essentially a large gold medallic coin with the gulden design.
