2043) Westhove Castle, The Netherlands: The Sixth Coin to be released in the "Dutch Castles Coin Series": A Silver Ducat Trade Coin with a history spanning over 350 years, minted by the Royal Dutch Mint: Year of Coin issue: 2021:
Westhove Castle:
The Reverse and Obverse of the One Ducat Silver Trade Coin presented against a background of the Westhove Castle
Silver Ducats, as Trade Coins, are commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Finance and are issued as Collector Coins.
Between 2015 and 2019, the Royal Dutch Mint issued a 12-coin set of silver ducats themed around the 12 provinces in the Netherlands. This Coin Series features Dutch Castles.
The sixth coin to be released under the "Dutch Castles Coin Series" depicts the "Westhove Castle" and continues with the legacy of Field Marshal Godard van Reede (1644-1703), who is portrayed as an armoured knight on this coin.
About Westhove Castle:
This Coin features Westhove Castle, one over 700 years old and with a rich history. Built as a defensive structure for Middelburg Abbey, it became obsolete in that role in the fifteenth century, and by the late 16th century had passed into private hands.
Westhove Castle has a turbulent history of many owners and renovations.
It is not known exactly when the castle was built, but this may have been sometime before 1300.
Around that time the castle was part of the abbey in Middelburg. The abbey was enormously powerful at that time and the castle was a means to maintain that power.
Medieval castles were intended as defensible structures.
In the fifteenth century, it was no longer necessary for the castles to be used and this castle was converted by the abbots as a summer residence.
In 1559 Middelburg became an episcopal city and thus the bishop owned Westhove.
During the Siege of Middelburg in 1572, the castle was occupied by the “Watergeuzen” (Calvinist Dutch noblemen who opposed Spanish rule during the Eighty Years’ War), led by Groningen nobleman Bartholt Entens van Mentheda. He set the castle on fire, destroying much of the original structure.
Hereafter, the castle has been in the hands of many private individuals who each left their mark on the castle. Gardens were planted and the castle was expanded with many outbuildings, including an orangery.
From 1899 the building was used as a convalescent home for children. Today, the castle and its coach houses function as a youth hostel. The Terra Maris Museum has been housed in the orangery since 2004.
About Godard van Reede (1644-1703): A Brief:
As written in the Dutch Mint Act, a Silver Ducat must depict a knight in armour with a shield showing the province weapon in front of his left leg. Godard de Ginkell (1644 –1703) is featured in a knight’s armour on all Silver Ducats in the series “Dutch Castles”.
Godard van Reede (1644-1703), in the United Kingdom, better known as Godard de Ginkell, is a recurring character in "Dutch Castles Coin Series", who served as Governor of Utrecht.
When he was only fourteen years old, young Godard was prepared for a career in the military and became a cavalry captain of his own company of horsemen.
In 1660, he accompanied his father on a diplomatic mission to the Spanish Court, which was commemorated by Dutch painter Jurriaen Ovens with three ife-sized family paintings and by poet Joost van der Vondel with a poem.
In 1688, he accompanied William, Prince of Orange, in his expedition to England, where he claimed the throne of England, Scotland and Ireland.
In 1691, Ginkell started a campaign against the remaining allies of King James II.
On 03.10.1691, a victory was won, after which he, as a formal thanks, was naturalised as an English subject. Ginkell returned to The Netherlands, thereafter.
In 1693, after his return, he became Commander of the Army of Flanders.
In 1702, he became the first Field Marshal of the Dutch States Army.
During his lifetime, De Ginkell received substantial military earnings in both The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
The Commemorative Coin:
On the Reverse, the Silver Ducat Collector Coin shows (as stated in the Dutch Mint Act since 1659, a knight in armour with a shield, showing the province weapon, in front of his left leg should be depicted).
The knight Godard de Ginkell is seen in all the coins included in the "Dutch Castles" Coin Series, before the "Amsterdam Muiderslot Castle". The province weapon of North Hollandis seen in his hand.
The inscription - "MO.NO. ARG. REG. BELGII.ZEL." (which is the Latin abbreviation for "Moneta Nova Argenta Regni Belgii" - meaning "New Silver Coin of the Kingdom of The Netherlands". "ZEL" stands for the province of "Zeeland".
On the Obverse, the Silver Ducat Collector Coin (which is common to all coins issued in this Series) are depicted the National Coat of Arms of The Netherlands with the Royal Crown between the numbers of the year and the inscription "CONCORDIA RES PARVAE CRESCUNT (meaning "Unity Makes Strength").
Also seen on this face are the Caduceus Mint Mark and Privy Mark of the Mint-master of the Royal Dutch Mint.
The specifications of this Silver Ducat Collector Coin are:
Coin Series Theme: "Dutch Castles"; Denomination: Dutch Trade Ducat; Metal Composition: .873 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 28.25 grams; Diameter/Size: 40.0 mm; Edge: Cabled; Coin Quality: Proof; Mintage: 2,000 pieces; Mint: Royal Dutch Mint; Certificate of Authenticity (COA): Yes; Year of Coin issue: 2021.
The Presentation Case/Box in which the Silver Ducat Trade Coin is shipped. It is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
Dutch Castles Coin Series:
For interesting posts from the Caribbean Netherlands on this blog:
Typically Dutch Postage Stamp Series "House Types & facades":
For other interesting posts on issues from the Royal Dutch Mint, Netherlands and PostNL, please visit the following links:
9) "De Haar Castle", Utrecht, Netherlands: The first Coin to be released in the "Dutch Castles" Coin Series: A silver Ducat Trade Coin with a history spanning over 350 years, minted by the Royal Dutch Mint: Date/Year of Delivery: 04/2020
10) First Atlases, Netherlands: Commemorating 450 Years of the first Atlas (1570-2020) & others: A Stamp Sheet of six stamps depicting the Atlases which were compiled in the Netherlands in the 16th & 17th Centuries AD: Stamp Set issued by POstNL: Date of Stamp Set issue: 23.03.2020
11) "Ancient Postal Routes - The Postal Route from Christiania to Bergen", Norway: A Europa Stamp of 20g issued by Posten Norge (or Norwegian Post) depicting the difficult mountain route/stretch at Vindhellvegen & Kongevegen: Date of Stamp issue: 17.04.2020
12) 75th Anniversary of the United Nations Organisation (UNO), The Netherlands: A Coin-card set of three denominations of 0.50 Euros, 0.20 Euros and 0.05 Euros minted by the Royal Dutch Mint to celebrate the milestone: Year of Coin-card issue: 2020
12) 75th Anniversary of the United Nations Organisation (UNO), The Netherlands: A Coin-card set of three denominations of 0.50 Euros, 0.20 Euros and 0.05 Euros minted by the Royal Dutch Mint to celebrate the milestone: Year of Coin-card issue: 2020
Experience Nature Stamp Series:
Dutch Castles Coin Series:
Posts on Finland:
Some other interesting Posts from Finland, Norway, Greenland, Aland, Faroe Islands & Nordic Countries:
15) "Franking Labels" from Greenland: Franking Labels issued by POST Greenland Filatelia since 2009 onwards: A brief analysis
16) Ancient Postal Routes - the Postal Boat Race - between Aland and Sweden", Aland, Finland: A EUROPA Postage Stamp of 2.00 Euro issued by Aland Post: Date of Stamp issue: 08.05.2020
Santosh Khanna has commented:
ReplyDelete"Great post. Thanks for the information."
Thank you so much, Khanna sahab.
DeleteVimal Dikshit has commented:
ReplyDelete"Nice post."
Thank you so much, Vimal.
Delete