LOOSE CHANGE: MAY 30, 2021

We do not know who commissioned the medalist Sebastian Dadler, who lived in Hamburg at the time, to create a medal that interpreted the death of William II as the fortunate intervention of a divine power. But we do know that there was a large Dutch community in Hamburg and that Hamburg had close trade ties with Amsterdam. Hamburg merchants, just like their Amsterdam counterparts, probably appreciated peace as the basis of their business and thus gladly acquired a medal that depicted their view on the matter.

In order to comment on the death of William II on a medal, Dadler drew on well-known myths from ancient times. Thus, the obverse alludes to the Trojan horse, which carried ruin to Ilion in its belly.

On the obverse we see a large horse in front of the city view of Amsterdam. The horse is decorated with a magnificent saddle blanket. It features a sealed treaty with the inscription UNIO (= union) and RELIGIO (= denomination / faith). The saddle blanket represents the official propaganda of William II. He invoked his office as Governor General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands and propagated Calvinism as the religion that had to be protected everywhere.

What Dadler and his clients thought of this is expressed by the word SIMULANT, which is Latin for they deceive, pretend. This statement is illustrated by the soldiers hidden under the saddle blanket.

To read the complete article, see:
Politics, Religion and Divine Retribution: The Failed Ambitions of William II of Orange (https://www.kuenker.de/en/information/presseinformationen/aktuelle-mitteilungen/363)

To read the complete article, see:
Die 200-Pesos-Banknote der Banco Alemán Transátlantico – Deutsche Uebersee-Bank von 1888 (https://www.geldscheine-online.com/post/die-200-peso-banknote-der-banco-alem%C3%A1n-trans%C3%A1tlantico-deutsche-uebersee-bank-von-1888)

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