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2 1/2 Cents - Willem III / Wilhelmina
| Issuer | Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Year | 1877-1898 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | P.P.J. Bautz |
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| Obverse description | The Dutch crowned lion rampant to the left occupies the central field, rendered in bold relief against a finely engine-turned linear background enclosed within a beaded inner circle. The lion holds an unsheathed sword in its right forepaw and a bundle of arrows in its left, representing the traditional arms of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Small decorative rosettes are interspersed around the beaded border. The circular legend KONINGRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN arcs around the upper periphery, while the date appears in the exergual area at the base, flanked by mint and assay marks. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The denomination is displayed prominently in the center of the field, rendered as '2 1/2' above the word 'CENT' in bold, raised serif lettering. The central device is framed by a wreath of laurel and oak branches tied at the base with a ribbon bow, the branches extending upward on either side to meet near the top of the field. The overall design is clean and uncluttered, with no additional legend, relying on the wreath and denomination alone to fill the reverse field. |
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| Additional information |
The Dutch 2½ cent denomination was a practical response to the country's decimal system, where it served as the lowest practical subdivision for everyday retail transactions. Willem III's issues ran from 1877 until his death in 1890, after which the young Wilhelmina — not yet formally crowned — continued the type under regency. The coin's bronze composition replaced an earlier copper standard as part of broader coinage reforms following the Muntwet of 1901's precursor legislation.
Production was concentrated at the Utrecht mint, identifiable by the caduceus privy mark of chief engraver Johannes Pieter Menger during much of this run.