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1⁄12 Ecu - William Henry
| Issuer | Principality of Orange (French States) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1657-1665 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 2.25 g |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of William Henry, Prince of Orange, facing right, with long flowing hair falling to the shoulders in the baroque style. The portrait is rendered in relatively high relief for a hammered coin, with fine detail in the curls of the hair. The circular Latin legend surrounds the effigy, reading GVIL HNR D G PRI AV, abbreviated for 'William Henry, by the Grace of God, Prince of Orange.' The field is flat and unadorned, with the bust occupying the central portion of the flan. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The Principality of Orange was a tiny sovereign enclave entirely surrounded by French territory, and its rulers exploited that technicality aggressively — minting silver coinage on French monetary standards while answering to no French authority. William Henry of Nassau-Orange used his mint at Orange as much for political assertion as fiscal purpose. Louis XIV eventually had enough of it: French forces occupied Orange in 1660, yet minting continued under negotiated terms until the principality was formally annexed in 1673.
The spread of die varieties across Dh Orange#167–173 reflects nearly a decade of intermittent production under increasingly constrained circumstances.