Amsterdam Duit

The Amsterdam Duit's most striking feature is its consistent use of the city's coat of arms, featuring three St. Andrew's crosses, which appeared on nearly every issue from 1586 onward.

This copper coin, valued at a fraction of a guilder, was minted in Amsterdam to handle the minutiae of daily transactions. Production ramped up during the 17th century, with estimates suggesting hundreds of thousands per year at peak. Yet, records from later decades are spotty; a fire in 1838 destroyed many Amsterdam archives, so exact figures remain elusive.

Variations in the Duit's design reflected political shifts, like the addition of the Dutch lion under the Batavian Republic. Don't bother hunting for rarities, though—most are common finds in hoards. As for myths about their supposed good luck, I've heard enough; they're just coins.

The last strikes around 1800 marked the end of an era, as larger denominations took over.