1982 NETHERLANDS-AMERICAN 50 GULDEN

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V21 2018 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 21, Number 27, July 8, 2018, Article 29

Michael Alexander published a July 3, 2018 Coin Update article about a rare gold coin of the Netherlands. Here's an excerpt. -Editor

The Schulman Numismatists, auctioneers in Amsterdam, have included a scarce and very rare gold coin minted in 1982 which commemorated the 200th year of Dutch-American friendship that will go under the hammer on the 29th and 30th June. It is understood that the 50-gulden coin was presented to President Ronald Reagan for the occasion of the state visit of HM Queen Beatrix and HRH Prince Claus, which also marked the 200th year of friendship between the two countries.

The obverse carried an effigy of Queen Beatrix facing in the left direction with her legend placed below the portrait in three lines.

The reverse design integrated the symbols of the two countries into one conjoined design, the heads of a lion and an eagle, with the denomination of 50 GULDEN and the commemorative years 1782 — 1982 placed along the upper left edge. This anniversary coin was also the first time this denomination had been minted and was also released as a circulating sterling silver commemorative coin.

According to ex-employees of the Dutch State Mint, a total of six gold pieces were minted and placed in wooden presentation cases with the Dutch coat-of-arms. The actual mintage and how many pieces were disposed of have never been confirmed. To date, only this example has been seen in a public sale. It is understood this very coin was previously offered for sale by auction in 2016 and was written about in an educational article published in the Muntkoerier magazine by authors Jacco Scheper and Marcel van der Beek. The consignor acquired the coin in early September 2015 from Nancy Reagan's former designer, who worked with her to redecorate the White House.

But I thought U.S. government officials weren't allowed to personally accept gifts from foreign governments. Did those rules come along after the Reagans? Or was there a value threshold, below which it would be acceptable? How did an employee end up with this instead of say, The National Numismatic Collection? -Editor

To read the complete article, see:
1982 Netherlands-American 50 Gulden (http://news.coinupdate.com/netherlands-and-united-states-exceptional-presidential-gift-of-scarce-gold-commemorative-coin-to-be-auctioned/)

Wayne Homren, Editor