Catalog
500 Rijksdaalder
| Issuer | Hollandsche Indische Gouvernement (Dutch East Indies Government) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1810 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Unadorned letterpress note with the denomination legend printed in red italic script at the top — 'Zegge vijf honderd Rijksdaalders' — above a substantial body of Dutch text relating to the Probolingo land credit issue, guaranteed by the Indisch Gouvernement and redeemable over ten years by lottery. A block of Malay-Arabic (Jawi) script text occupies the lower central portion, followed by the place and date line 'Batavia den 3den van Wintermaand 1810' in italic. At lower left appears a circular embossed handstamp dated 1810 with an 'N' monogram, accompanied by the red letterpress legend 'GEZIEN' and multiple manuscript signatures of authorizing officials. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | 500 Voor de nabetaling op dato voorschreven |
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| Comments |
By 1810, the Dutch East Indies had been cut off from Amsterdam for years — the Napoleonic Wars had severed reliable communication with the metropole, and the colonial administration in Batavia was essentially functioning on its own authority. This note was produced entirely within the colony, a necessity rather than a policy choice, at a moment when the Hollandsche Indische Gouvernement itself had only months left before Herman Willem Daendels would be replaced and the British would seize Java entirely in 1811.
At 500 Rijksdaalder, this was a high-denomination instrument, unlikely to have passed through many hands. The wax seal impression served as the primary authentication mechanism — centralized security printing was not available locally, so physical sealing and official handstamping substituted for engraved anti-counterfeiting measures.