Zeeland Silver Stuiver

In the midst of the Eighty Years' War, Zeeland's mints frequently repurposed silver from melted Spanish reales to produce these stuivers, turning enemy plunder into everyday currency.

That practical recycling kept the coins in circulation despite wartime shortages. Struck in various designs, they typically featured Zeeland's lion emblem on one side and a simple date or arms on the other. Sizes varied slightly over the 214-year span, reflecting changes in provincial policies.

We don't know the exact mintage figures; many records vanished in later conflicts or neglect. Some specimens show heavy wear from use in trade routes.

As for myths, I've heard plenty about hidden treasures, but most stuivers were just pocket change for farmers and merchants. Collectors might quibble over variants, though.