500 Gulden

De Javasche Bank, established in Batavia in 1828 as the colonial central bank of the Dutch East Indies, occupied an unusual position — privately owned but operating under government charter, with the colonial treasury deeply dependent on its note circulation. The 500 Gulden denomination placed this note well beyond everyday use; it would have moved between merchant houses, trading firms, and the bank itself rather than through ordinary retail commerce.

Enschedé in Haarlem had been printing for De Javasche Bank since the nineteenth century, and the relationship was effectively exclusive for high-denomination issues. The long issue window — over two decades — means individual examples can vary subtly in printing impression and paper quality, though all share the same plate design.