Holland Silver Scheepje

What sets the Holland Silver Scheepje apart is its bold depiction of a full-rigged ship on the obverse, a direct nod to the Dutch fleet that harried Spanish galleons during the Eighty Years' War.

These coins were struck in silver, likely from sources like captured bullion, between roughly 1580 and 1600 in cities like Dordrecht or Amsterdam. The reverse typically showed the arms of Holland, squeezed onto a small, uneven planchet that reflected the era's makeshift minting. No two seem exactly alike, thanks to the hand-hammered process.

We don't know the exact mintage figures; records from that time are spotty at best. What we do have are survivors, often worn smooth from centuries of use or burial.

As for myths, I've heard enough about these being "cursed treasures." They were just currency for sailors and merchants, plain and simple.