Commemorative, Historical and Art Medals

Medals of the Early Colonial Period and the European Heritage, Commerce with the Americas by the States of Westfriesland and Holland, 1594, a silver medal by C. Wijntjes, arms of Westfriesland crowned and with lion supporters, names and armorials of the other seven cities of Holland, around, rev. Neptune seated on a sea-serpent, holding a trident, acknowledging the divine protection afforded to a distant seaport, 56mm, 86.86g (van Loon I, 447; Betts 16 [dated 1596]; MH 485 [dated 1596]). Usual striking weaknesses, otherwise about extremely fine and lightly toned, a great rarity £9,000-12,000

Provenance: Sotheby Auction, 8 July 1997, lot 160.

The medal demonstrates the understanding of the importance of the New World for trade and commerce, and its exploitation by the Dutch. The ships had returned with cargoes of wood from Brazil and sugar from the island of St. Thomas. Curiously, for an exceptionally rare medal, it is known with both dates 1594 and 1596