Monday, 23 January 2023

2656) Willemstad, (Dutch Caribbean Island of Curacao), Netherlands: "Dutch World Heritage Coin Series": Tenth Coin in the Series of €10 (Gold) and €5 (Silver) Collector Coins minted by the Royal Dutch Mint (RDM) feature the historic City: Date/Year of Coins issue: 02.02.2023:

2656) Willemstad, (Dutch Caribbean Island of Curacao), Netherlands: "Dutch World Heritage Coin Series": Tenth Coin in the Series of €10 (Gold) and €5 (Silver) Collector Coins minted by the Royal Dutch Mint (RDM) feature the historic City: Date/Year of Coins issue: 02.02.2023:

Other Posts on Willemstad on this Blog:

1) Willemstad, Curacao: 25 Years of UNESCO World Heritage Site: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of 16 postage stamps celebrating the milestone: Date of Stamps set issue: 18.08.2022

2) Willemstad, (Dutch, Caribbean Island, Curacao), Netherlands: "Dutch World Heritage Coin Series": Tenth Coin in the Series of 10 Euro (Gold) and 5 Euro (Silver) Collector Coins minted by the Royal Dutch Mint (RDM) feature this historic city: Date/Year of Coins issue: 02.02.2023


The Header/Banner showcases the Obverse and Reverse of the Gold and Silver coins against a background representation of  colourful houses in Willemstad

The tenth coin in the Coin Series titled - "Dutch World Heritage Coin Series" focusses on the historic city of Willemstad, formerly the capital of the Netherlands Antilles until its dissolution in 2010. 

It is presently the capital and seat of government of the Caribbean Island of Curacao, which is a constituent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Anyone who thinks of what Willemstad in Curacao might be or who has had the pleasure of visiting, immediately imagines the colourful wooden buildings located at St. Anna Bay. 

Can you imagine that a small island of 444.00 sq. kilometres made it to the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage list, where only a few other Caribbean islands are featured? Curacao has more than 860 historical buildings and archeological sites. 

These monuments hold a lot of history, not only examples of European colonialism but also African traditions that withheld the test of time and are now still embedded in the culture of Curaçao. 

On 04.12.2022, Curacao will be celebrating 25 years on the World Heritage list, when Willemstad was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site 25 years ago.

What does this mean? That Curaçao, has on its territory a site of exceptional quality, that has to be conserved for the good and overall knowledge of humanity. 

Willemstad consists of 4 districts, Punda, Pietermaai, Scharloo, and Otrobanda, each section with its own stories

This mix of different cultures and influences ensured that several of the city’s districts were listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1997.

More about Willemstad:

Excerpted from a book titled "TREASURES OF THE WORLD" (A COMPLETE GUIDE ON UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES) in my personal library:

"The people of the Netherlands established a trading settlement at a fine harbour on the Caribbean Island of Curacao in 1634.

The town developed continuously over the following centuries. The modern town consists of several historic districts whose architecture reflects not only European urban-planning concepts, but also styles from the Netherlands and from the Spanish and Portuguese colonial towns which Willemstad engaged in trade with.

Willemstad stands out for the diversity of its four historic districts, separated by a natural harbour. Each has its own unique urban morphology, while sharing a distinctive "tropicalised" Dutch architecture".

Willemstad is indeed known for its colourful architecture, which has a very Dutch influence, but getting to know and explore the city a little better, one comes to discover the Spanish and Portuguese influences from earlier centuries gone by. 

The long history of Curacao began with a sighting by Spanish conquistadors of the island before 1500.

 However, it was not until 1527 that they formally settled the island and claimed it in the name of the Spanish King. 

In 1634, a trading post on St. Anna Bay known as Punda was captured by the Dutch West India Company — WIC and named Willemstad, meaning “William town,” after the Dutch Prince Willem II van Oranje (1626–1650).

While Curacao remained in Dutch hands for years, for a time, it also came under English administration from 1800 to 1803 and again from 1807 to 1815.

By 1821, the island of Curacao received its first government bank authorising the release of banknotes, promissory notes, and coins minted especially for the territory’s use. 

As part of integrating the economy of Curacao and that of the mainland kingdom, a law was passed in 1826 establishing the legal status of Dutch coins on the island

Willemstad became a great hub for trade between the Americas and Europe after the Dutch declared the harbour an open port in 1675

Willemstad was known to be a haven of trade for every country or individual to buy and sell products, so much so that the city saw rapid growth in population and construction of structures

At the start of the 20th century, and with the advent of steam navigation, Curaçao’s harbour developed into a coal hub. 

After the arrival of the Shell Refinery in 1915, a new era started for Willemstad. 

At the outbreak of the Second World War, a separate series of coins produced by the United States mints in Philadelphia and Denver was introduced in Curacao in 1942.

With the establishment of the autonomous Netherlands Antilles, Willemstad was affirmed as the capital and seat of government, which continued until the dissolution of the entity in 2010.

Thereafter, Willemstad became the capital of the separate state of Curacao within the Kingdom of the Netherlands

The Gold and Silver Coins:

The Gold and Silver coins have been minted by the Royal Dutch Mint (RDM) at their facilities in Houten on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Finance. 

The Reverses of the 10 Euro (Gold) and 5 Euro (Silver) Coins depicts a city view with all four districts of Willemstad that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites - Punda, Otrobanda, Scharloo, and Pietermaai. 

Several well-known landmarks and structures are also included, such as the Handelskade quay, the Mikvé Israël-Emanuel synagogue, and Fort Amsterdam in Punda, which borders the two districts of Pietermaai.

On the upper periphery is the text "WERELDERFGOED" (“World Heritage”), and further along the edge is the additional text "WILLEMSTAD". 

To the left edge is the coins’ denomination "10 EURO" (Gold) or "5 EURO" (Silver).

The Obverses of the 10 Euro (Gold) and 5 Euro (Silver) Coins includes a stylised image of King Willem-Alexander with a depiction of the Queen Juliana Bridge in Willemstad behind the king’s effigy. 

The four stars shown above, along with the year of issue "2023", represent the four constituent nations which form the Kingdom of the Netherlands - The Netherlands, Curacao, Aruba, and St. Maarten. 

Below the effigy is the legend "WILLEM-ALEXANDER KONING DER NEDERLANDEN" (meaning - "Willem-Alexander - King of The Netherlands").

The specifications of the four variants are:

Silver Variants:

i) Silver plated 5 Euros Coin Variant:

Country: The Netherlands; Year of Coin issue: 2023; Denomination€5 (Euro); Weight: 10.50 grams; Diameter/Size: 29.00 mm; Metal Composition: Silver-plated; Mint: Royal Dutch Mint (RDM); Coin Quality: Uncirculated (U); Designer: Cleo Maxime de Brabander.

ii) Silver plated 5 Euros Coin Variant:

Country: The Netherlands; Year of Coin issue: 2023; Denomination€5 (Euro); Weight: 10.50 grams; Diameter/Size: 29.00 mm; Metal Composition: Silver-plated; Mint: Royal Dutch Mint (RDM); Coin Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated (U); Mintage: 12,500 pieces; Designer: Cleo Maxime de Brabander.

iii) Silver plated 5 Euros Coin Variant:

Country: The Netherlands; Year of Coin issue: 2023; Denomination€5 (Euro); Weight: 15.50 grams; Diameter/Size: 33.00 mm; Metal Composition: .925 Fineness Silver (Ag); Mint: Royal Dutch Mint (RDM); Coin Quality: Proof (P); Mintage: 4,000 pieces; Designer: Cleo Maxime de Brabander.

iv) 10 Euros Gold Coin Variant:

Country: The Netherlands; Year of Coin issue: 2023; Denomination10 (Euro); Weight: 06.72 grams; Diameter/Size: 22.50 mm; Metal Composition: .900 Fineness Gold (Au); Mint: Royal Dutch Mint (RDM); Coin Quality: Proof (P); Mintage: 800 pieces; Designer: Cleo Maxime de Brabander.

Remarks:

- Both the Uncirculated and Brilliant Uncirculated €5 Silver Coins are sealed in a coin-card format

- The silver Proof coin is presented in a colourful folder and includes images of the colourful buildings in Willemstad’s port and specifications of the coin.

- The €10 gold Proof-quality coin is encapsulated and presented in a custom wood-branded Royal Dutch Mint case, along with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA)










For other interesting posts from the Faroe Islands:





8) "Organic Art", Faroe Islands: Posta/Postverk Foroya (Postal Works of the Faroes Islands) has issued a set of six stamps of 29.00 DKK (x 3 Stamps) and 19.00 DKK (x 3 Stamps) depicting Organic art by three artists in the Faroes: Date of Stamp set issue: 16.05.2022

9) Faroese Minerals, Faroe Islands: Posta (Faroe Islands Post) has issued a Miniature Sheet (MS) of stamps depicting Calcite and Copper: Date of Stamps issue: 24.10.2022

Posts on SEPAC issues on this blog:





Posts on Finland on this Blog:













Links to other Posts on Aland issues:


2) Wildflowers, Aland Islands: A new Series of Franking Labels issued by Aland Post: Date of issue: 03.02.2020






Links to some other posts on shipwrecks:




Links to Posts on Norway issues:

Dutch Castles Coin Series:









Links:

i) "The Rooswijk", an ill-fated Dutch East Indiaman, Netherlands which sank during her second trip on 09.01.1740: Mexican Silver Cobs, Silver reales, Klippes and Pillar Dollars etc were recovered from the ship-wreck

The undernoted two links will take you to our blog "Footloose" for two interesting posts written by me on the Dutch presence in Sadras in the 17th Century AD:

i) Reconnecting with India's historical heritage: A visit to Sadras Fort built by the Dutch in 1648: (Part 1): a) Commentary of the Dutch presence in India & b) The Dutch Cemetery

ii) Reconnecting with India's historical heritage: (Part ii): A visit to Sadras Fort built by the Dutch in 1648: The ruins tell the story of a flourishing Sea-trade

Links to Posts on Pieter Mondriaan (or "Piet Mondrian"):


For other interesting posts on Belgium & Luxembourg Coins and Stamps:


5) City of Bruges (or Brugge), Belgium: 20 Years as UNENCO World Heritage Site: A 20 Euro Silver Proof Coin issued by the Royakl Dutch Mint under licencing of the Royal Belgian Mint, on behalf of the National Bank of Belgium: Coin issue date: 26.02.2020

6) 100 Years of Nature & Environment Protection, Luxembourg: Commemorating the Centenary Anniversary of the "Letzebuerger Natur a Vulleschutsliga a.s.b.l. (Luxembourg Nature and Bird Protection Society):A 0.80 Euro Stamp issued by Luxembourg Postes (Post): Date of stamp issue: 10.03.2020

7) Celebrating 25 Years of listing on UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Luxembourg: A Commemorative Stamp of 0.80 Euro issued by Luxembourg Postes (Post): Stamp issue date: 10.03.2020














Posts on SEPAC issues on this blog:































Typically Dutch Postage Stamp Series "House Types & facades":





Typicaly Dutch Coin Series - Museums:

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
























Links to Posts on Pieter Mondriaan (or "Piet Mondrian"):



Experience Nature Stamp Series:









Dutch World Heritage Series:

Links to Posts on Aruba on this blog:

 1) A New 2019 Fourth Series of Banknotes, Aruba, issued by the Central Bank of Aruba (Centrale Bank van Aruba) on 04.06.2019 comprising five denominations with the theme of "Endangered Flora and Fauna of Aruba" and historic monuments and landmarks





Links to Posts on Curacao on this Blog:

1) Festival di Tumba (Carnival of Curacao), Curacao: "50th Edition of the Curacao Carnival/Festival" held from 27-31.01.2020: A set of six Commemorative Postage Stamps brought out by Cpost (Curacao Post) on 20.02.2020

2) Trains of South America, Curacao: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of stamps featuring Trains of South America: Date of Stamp set issue: 21.06.2021

3) Willemstad, Curacao: 25 Years of UNESCO World Heritage Site: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of 16 poostage stamps celebrating the milestoone: Date oof Stamps set issue: 18.08.2022

For some other interesting posts on Currencies of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, please visit the following links:








Links to some other interesting posts from South American countries & Mexico:

1) The Evolution of Mexican Coinage


24) Bolivar Soberano (or "Sovereign Bolivar"), Venezuela: (2018 Series of Banknotes) introduced by Banco de National, the Central Bank of Venezuela on 20.08.2018 


Links to Posts on Curacao on this Blog:

1) Trains of South America, Curacao: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of stamps featuring Trains of South America: Date of Stamp set issue: 21.06.2021



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