Coöperatieve veiling "De Tuinbouw"

A group of horticultural farmers from Leeuwarden reasoned in 1905 that if there were auction houses in the region, why wasn't there one in their home town? They organised one on Vismarkt in Leeuwarden. It was a failure, due to lack of experience. The initiative was saved only by Friesche tuinbouw vereeniging - horticultural association of Friesland - and Johannes Petrus Jongma (1879-1961), an energetic local horticultural farmer. Jongma became chairman, re-vamped the auction and hired professionals. Very quickly, the auction house took off and Jongma moved it to Oosterkade 54 in 1909, turning the organisation from a commission of Friesche tuinbouw vereeniging into an independent cooperative enterprise, Coöperatieve veiling "De Tuinbouw". Jongma was also responsible for the idea to loan baskets to sellers. These baskets may have been why the token was issued.

The first world war was a mixed blessing. Export to Germany came to a halt. However, the Dutch government introduced a law that locally produced foodstuff destined to be exported had to be auctioned. By 1920, all professional sellers had become members of the cooperative auction, setting a tradition. In 1923, it added a flower auction on Turfmarkt 6, turning what had been a local failure into an international success. Growth was spectacular, so the auction was moved to new grounds on Overijsselse straatweg in 1931. That still wasn't enough, so the idea was born to open a branch in Quatrebras (province of Groningen) for non professional sellers, forced by law to sell by auction. Resistance from the locals turned into support in 1935 when "Leeuwarden" promised that their baskets would also be used in Quatrebras. A shed for the baskets was opened in 1935, so it is possible that the token was used Quatrebras also. Jongma was now a minor national hero. He was made an officer in the order of Oranje-Nassau in 1939. He retired in 1947 and was succeeded by his son Ype Petrus.

The branch in Quatrebras stopped reporting prices realised in late 1939. The premises on Overijsselse straatweg had once again become to small, so the auction moved to Huizumerlaan in 1954 (photo). Due to improved logistics, the development of cold chain technology and insufficient scale in the face of European integration, the auction house had to close. The complex was demolished in 2005.

The token was used as proof of payment of deposit for packaging (presumably the baskets). It served also to make sure that the auction house would only reimburse collateral for its own packaging. The token is mentioned (# 1323) in Lijst van Penningen vervaardigd in de ateliers der Koninklijke Begeer by Willem Karel Frederik Zwierzina (Amsterdam, 1907-1919), proving that it was manufactured between 1909 and 1919 by Koninklijke Begeer.

deposit tokens
File:NCVL1.jpg
	Filename	NCVL1
	Side 1	L(eeuwarden). Around: COÖPERATIEVE •VEILING•
	Side 2	•VOOR• Around PANDGELD and EMBALLAGE (collateral for packaging)
	Material	Brass
	Size (mm)	29
	Weight (grams)
	Notes
	Source	Kooij