Daalder of 36 Stuivers `Field Daalder` Countermark A27.2

Middelburg, the principal city of Zeeland, came under siege by Spanish forces in 1572 as part of the broader Dutch Revolt. The city held out for over two years — one of the longest sieges of the conflict — and the production of emergency coinage was a direct consequence of that isolation. This piece is a circulating daalder countermarked by siege authorities to validate its use within the besieged city, a practice that allowed existing silver to be officially sanctioned when no fresh supply of coin could reach the garrison.

The city finally capitulated in February 1574. Coins produced or marked during the siege are among the more documentable emergency issues of the entire Revolt period, with Delmonte's classification remaining the primary reference for distinguishing authentic siege marks from later imitations.