Pattern Gulden of 1816

The 1816 Pattern Gulden was struck as a trial piece to test designs for the Kingdom of the Netherlands' new currency, using silver planchets likely recycled from older coins circulating during the French occupation.

This silver coin features King William I's portrait on the obverse and a crowned shield on the reverse, with a weight of about 10 grams and a diameter of 28 millimeters. Mintage figures are uncertain; records from the Utrecht mint were probably lost in later administrative shuffles. What we do know is that only a handful of these patterns survive, making them objects of quiet interest rather than legend.

Patterns like this one often served as blueprints, with minor tweaks leading to the standard gulden issued in 1817. Spotting the differences takes a keen eye and a steady hand. As for myths, let's just say I've seen enough fakes to fill a canal.