Swan duit

[Figleaf]

Congratulations! This is a very nice example.

Peter

[thelawnet]

This was sold at the Java Auction 2010 for 1.75 million rupiah (about US$195), the opening price.

[Figleaf]

In auctions held in the Netherlands, they go for €20 to 50, depending on grade. Only unc proofs fetch a lot more. Google "zwaantjesduit" for some examples and look for Scholten 659a.

Peter

[thelawnet]

In auctions held in the Netherlands, they go for €20 to 50, depending on grade. Only unc proofs fetch a lot more. Google "zwaantjesduit" for some examples and look for Scholten 659a.

Peter

At the Java Auction most stuff goes for the (high) opening bids. I suspect there are a lot of cash-rich, knowledge-poor bidders. It is a very poor place to buy things, generally.

Recent ebay auction, €46.50: http://www.webcitation.org/5s9w0K4mj

[sinial]

Finally, after nearly 5 years,  here it is.

The catalogue may disappear from the net and it won't turn up in Google searches, so here it is for posterity It is all a bit speculative. If Pridmore and Scholten (and, therefore, Moquette and the Bataviaasch Genootschap) missed it, it will not have reached Asia and it probably didn't reach the Netherlands. Soho mint seems a likely conclusion, though. The climbing pussy might just as well have been derived from the arms of Scotland (Colville was Scottish).

[Figleaf]

Thank you, sinial. Excellent thread, this.

Peter

[Afrasi]

Some thoughts about the swan ...

A legend tells the following story:
The Czech theologian Johan Hus standing on the stake said: "You are now burning a goose, but 100 years later there will be a swan."
Explanation: "Hus" is the Czech word for "goose" and 100 years later Martin Luther appeared in history.
So the swan became a Lutheran symbol. Indeed you will find a swan instead of a cock or a cross on some Lutheran churches in Northern Germany (for example in Carolinensiel).

As nobody seems to have a clue about the swan, I would guess, it was made in a Lutheran town, country or area, perhaps even for a Lutheran group of settlers ...

[sinial]

Here we go.
Another possible Singapore Merchant Token type, Scholten 279/Bucknill 332, Pridmore and Saran Singh unlisted.
Scholten listed as 'bronzed pattern of finished workmanship'.
Bucknill listed as 'Moquette mentions and figures a similar specimen, this he thinks was an attempt at a pattern for a counterfeit and was probably producted at Birmingham in England. Mr. Schulman, whilst agreeing that specimens of this kind are patterns, believes them to be merely genuine patterns not struck either at Birmingham or with any fraudulent design and that for some reason unknown the novel type was not adopted for the currency.'
Any further information?

[Figleaf]

Very interesting, Sinial! I can see why Bucknill (chauvinistically, perhaps) thought of Birmingham: they had excellent presses. However, by 1791, Dutch mints were being equipped with good presses also. The very best "provincial" coins date from this period. Thinking of the Birmingham copies of NEI coins, they had an easy way to be recognised, some spelling error or so. This prototype's most striking difference is the different font for the date. In my eyes, that would be an argument against Birmingham.

Peter

[HENDRI]

mine

[Bimat]

Impressive!!!

Aditya

[Figleaf]

Oeang bagoes.

Peter