Silver Ship Shilling 1678
Weight: 3 grams; Size: 24 mm; Material: Silver

In the 1600’s, the “Golden Age” of Dutch history, the Netherlands became a great sea and colonial power. This was due, in no small part, to the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindishche Compagnie, or VOC, in Dutch). The VOC was the first company in the world to issue stock, and by 1669, it had become the richest private company the world had ever seen, with over 150 merchant ships, 40 warships, 50,000 employees, and a private army of 10,000 soldiers. The VOC assumed many of the functions of the government of the Netherlands, including minting coins, which circulated wherever the Dutch settled or traded.

Manhattan was discovered in 1609 (believe it or not, on September 11, 1609) by Henry Hudson, commander of the VOC ship, the Half Moon. The province of New Netherland (which later became the State of New York) was created in 1624. Its capital was New Amsterdam, which lay on the southern tip of Manhattan— “purchased” from the Indians by Peter Minuit for $24 in trade goods. Of course, the Indians had no concept of land ownership, and only later discovered what the Dutch had in mind when they were handing out trinkets.

Because the Dutch were instrumental in the early development of New York, Dutch coinage joined the Spanish, Portuguese, and British coins that were used for daily transactions all over the American colonies. One of the coins used in old New York was the VOC Silver Ship shilling, now popularly known as the original New York ship shilling.

These coins are all in Very Fine condition for the type, with nice clear dates ranging from the 1670’s to the 1790’s, which makes them all over 350 years old. This is a terrific opportunity to acquire some interesting examples of an important early American colonial coin type— at an extremely low price.

Dutch Silver coin of 6 stiuvers, named "Scheepjesschelling" in recognition of the ship depicted. Issued in the Dutch provinces from 1670 to 1793), in West-Friesland from 1673 to 1771 and in Utrecht from 1700 to 1794. The weight remained fixed at 4,95 g (583/1000 fineness). The first Scheepjesschellingen minted in West-Friesland from 1673 to 1679 were produced by the private mint of Dirk Bosch in Enkhuisen.

West Friesland (also West Frisia; Dutch: West-Friesland; West Frisian language: West-Fryslân) is a historical region in the northern part of the Netherlands. It was located in parts of what now is Noord-Holland and the Waddenzee. The region was bordered by the rivers Vlie and IJ. Within this historical region is the contemporary region of West Friesland, which is a smaller area based on the Westfriese Omringdijk, a dyke system that lay in West Friesian district (gouw) of Westflinge
For about 300 years, West Friesland operated as an autonomous area as the West Frisians did not want to be subjected to authorities from Holland. Floris V, Count of Holland attempted to unite Holland and West Friesland during his reign, but it was his successor John I who finally defeated the West Frisians in 1297. However, even though West Friesland formed a united province with Holland in the Dutch Republic, it was recognized a separate region and the parliament of said province, commonly known as Holland, was formally known as the States of Holland and West Friesland, showing that West Friesland was still recognized in its own right. During the time of the United Provinces, West Friesland had its own independent Admiralty of the Northern Quarter and any admiral serving with that admiralty or the two other Hollandic admiralties, those of Amsterdam and the Maas (Rotterdam), had the title of Admiral of Holland and West Frisia.