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1/2 Gulden Gold, pattern at 3 ducat weight
| Issuer | Province of Utrecht (Dutch Republic) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1740 |
| Type | Coin pattern |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A seated allegorical figure of the Maid of Utrecht (the Dutch Liberty) occupies the centre of the field, depicted in classical drapery, turned slightly to the right. In her raised left hand she holds a broad-brimmed hat atop a pole (the Cap of Liberty), while her right arm rests upon a rectangular plinth or altar adorned with decorative motifs. The surrounding legend HANC TVEMVR ⬕ HAC NITIMVR flanks the figure on left and right respectively, and the date 1740 appears in the exergue below. The composition is refined and deeply struck, consistent with the presentation standard expected of a pattern piece. |
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| Additional information |
Utrecht struck this pattern in 1740 as part of broader Dutch discussions about rationalizing the bewildering patchwork of provincial coinage that had accumulated across the Republic. Producing a half-gulden denomination at three-ducat weight was a deliberate exercise in metrological alignment — the ducat had long served as the Republic's dominant international trade coin, and Utrecht's mint was exploring whether fractional silver denominations could be anchored to that gold standard in a way that simplified exchange calculations for merchants.
It was never adopted. The political will to unify coinage across sovereign provinces consistently fell apart on questions of mint revenue and provincial pride.