REPUBLIC OF THE SEVEN UNITED PROVINCES OF THE NETHERLANDS (1581-1795)
RARE GOLD SEVEN GULDEN - PROVINCE OF GRONINGEN AND OMMELANDEN
ONE YEAR ISSUE
CERTIFIED BY PCGC MINT STATE 61
OBV: ARMORED KNIGHT GALLOPING ON HORSEBACK RIGHT BRANDISHING SWORD ABOVE HEAD IN RIGHT HAND; CROWNED HERALDIC SHIELD OF ARMS OF GRONINGEN AND OMMELAND BELOW RIDER; PRIVY MARK TO LEFT OF KNIGHT'S ARM IN LEGEND.
REV: CROWNED ARMS OF THE NETHERLANDS.
KM # 60
GRONINGEN IS THE NORTHEASTERNMOST PROVINCE OF THE NETHERLANDS, AS WELL AS THE NAME OF THE CAPITAL AND LARGEST MUNICIPALITY OF THE PROVINCE. THE OMMELANDEN IS, AND MEANS LITERALLY, THE SURROUNDING LANDS OF THE PROVINCE OF GRONINGEN THAT SURROUNDS THE CITY OF GRONINGEN.
IN 1579, THE LORDSHIP OF GRONINGEN AND OMMELANDEN JOINED THE UNION OF UTRECHT WHICH BROUGHT THE NORTHERN PROVINCES OF THE NETHERLANDS TOGETHER AND ALLIED THEM AGAINST AGAINST SPAIN. THE TOWN OF GRONINGEN DID NOT JOIN. IN 1580, THE STADTHOLDER (STEWARD) OF THE NORTHERN DUTCH PROVINCES, GEORGE de LALAING COUNT RENNENBERG, CONVINCED THE TOWN OF GRONINGEN TO WITHDRAW FROM THE REVOLT AGAINST SPAIN AND JOIN THE HABSBURG CAUSE OF PHILIP II AGAINST THE DUTCH. THE REST OF GRONINGEN PROVINCE AND OMMELANDEN REMAINED LOYAL TO THE UNITED PROVINCES. THE TOWN A STRONGHOLD OF SPAIN IN THE EIGHTY YEARS' WAR. THE REDUCTION OF GRONINGEN (THE TOWN) BY THE DUTCH OCCURRED IN 1594, AND THE TOWN WAS CONQUERED. THE LORDSHIP OF GRONINGEN WAS ABOLISHED, THE CITY AND THE PROVINCE WERE AGAIN UNITED INTO ONE PROVINCE, GRONINGEN AND OMMELANDEN (STAD EN OMMELAND or "CITY AND SURROUNDING LANDS").
THE GRONINGEN MINT CLOSED IN 1692, SO THIS RARE COIN WAS STRUCK IN THE NEIGHBORING PROVINCE OF GELDERLAND AT THE HARDERWYK MINT. IT WAS ISSUED ONLY IN 1761.
IN THE EARLY 1700's, THE DUTCH REPUBLIC WAS IN DECLINE, HAVING HAD ITS POWER DIMINISHED AFTER THE WAR OF THE SPANISH SUCCESSION AND OTHER CONFLICTS, AND WITH ITS WANING POWER CAME ECONOMIC DESCENT. AMSTERDAM WAS LOOSING ITS PRIME POSITION AS THE MAJOR TRADING CENTER OF NORTHERN EUROPE TO LONDON. BY THE END OF THE 18TH CENTURY, THE FRENCH, UNDER NAPOLEON BONAPARTE, WOULD FORCE AN END TO THE UNITED PROVINCES AND THE FOUNDING OF THE BATAVIAN REPUBLIC IN 1795.
4.9650 GRAMS .917 OF FINE GOLD (.1464 OZ AGW)
21 MM IN DIAMETER
HARDERWYK MINT, GELDERLAND
