Friesland Copper Oort

The Friesland Copper Oort was often struck on planchets cut from recycled copper pots and pans, a thrifty practice during times of material scarcity.

That approach kept production costs low in a province more focused on trade than mining. Friesland issued these coins from 1621 through 1795, typically bearing simple designs like the provincial arms or a lion. Variations in weight were common, reflecting the handcrafted methods of local mints.

We don't know exact mintage figures; records from that period are spotty at best. What is clear is that these coins circulated widely in daily commerce, from market stalls to taverns.

Collectors might quibble over a particularly worn specimen, but that's just the patina of history speaking.