1/2 Ducaton `1/2 Zilveren Rijder` Flowered edge

Gelderland was among the more financially aggressive of the seven provinces, frequently overstriking foreign coin and minting beyond its federally allotted quota — a source of persistent friction with the States-General throughout the mid-eighteenth century. The ½ Ducaton series, sometimes called the Zilveren Rijder after its mounted knight device, circulated widely in both domestic trade and the Baltic export market, where Dutch silver enjoyed a strong reputation for consistent fineness.

The flowered edge variety distinguished authorized provincial strikes from contemporary counterfeits and unofficial restrike issues, which plagued the Rijder denominations specifically.