Netherlands, Utrecht 1 Gulden 1737/27 RRR

UTRECHT – GULDEN 1737 – SPECIAL OVERSTRIKE / POSSIBLE OLDER UNDERLYING MINT TYPE

NORTHERN NETHERLANDS (NETHERLANDS) – REPUBLIC, 1581–1795 – UTRECHT – 1 GULDEN 1737

Mint Master: Johan van Romondt
Mint Mark: city shield of Utrecht

Obverse: Pallas Athene, or the Dutch Maiden, standing facing forward. In the right hand a spear with a liberty cap; her left elbow rests on the Bible, placed on a richly decorated altar. Below it the year 1737. Legend: HAC NITIMVR – HANC TVEMVR, with the city shield of Utrecht.

Reverse: Crowned general-ity weapon, flanked by the value designation I – G. Legend: MO•ARG•ORD•FOED•BELG•TRAI.

Die characteristics: strike with I – G without a dot after the G, without a dot after the year 1737 and without a dot after TRAI.

SPECIAL: REMARKABLE UNDERLYING STRIKES

This specimen shows a striking combination of underlying numeral, letter, and strike traces, visible in several places on the coin design.

At the 3 of the year 1737 there are clear remnants of an underlying punching visible. In the macro photo one can see that beneath and around the definitive 3 are lines and raised parts that may originate from a previously applied digit. The form could point to a 1 or 2, or to another corrected digit punch.

However, it is remarkable that the irregularities are not limited to the year.

Also beneath, between, and partially through different letters of the legend there are in the macro photos additional contours, lines and raised shapes visible that do not obviously belong to the final letters of the legend.

Especially around parts of …ORD•FOED•BELG… such underlying structures are clearly visible. The fact that these phenomena occur at several separate places makes this specimen particularly interesting.

POSSIBLE OVERSTRIKE ON A PREVIOUSLY STRUCK COIN

The combination of the irregular punching at the year and the possible underlying letter-and-figure remnants raises the possibility that there is more at play than merely a local punch correction.

Possibly this gulden was struck on a previously used die or a coin that had been struck earlier, where parts of the original legend and/or depiction remained visible after the new strike.

Another possibility is that multiple elements were corrected or re-applied during the die manufacturing.

Which explanation is correct, and what possible underlying mint type could be present, is intentionally not presented as fact. For that, further specialized die studies and comparison with known specimens are necessary.

Clear macro photographs are therefore explicitly included with the lot and give the collector or specialist the opportunity to assess the underlying traces themselves.

Specifications

Nominal: 1 gulden
Mint location: Utrecht
Year: 1737
Mint Master: Johan van Romondt
Mint Mark: city shield of Utrecht
Value designation: I – G
Variant: no dot after G, no dot after 1737 and no dot after TRAI
Special: underlying digit punch at the 3 and multiple possible underlying letter/strike traces in the legend.

Auction note

A special and intriguing specimen of the Utrecht gulden 1737. Especially the combination of the underlying punch at the year and the multiple places where irregular structures appear under the legend deserves further study.

Possible overstrike on a previously struck coin or an older mint type.

An interesting object of study for the specialized collector of Dutch Republic coins, overstrikes, die varieties, and other minting peculiarities.