On every field you will definitely find coins of some kind. Through all past centuries these are the items that would always be around - from the early Roman ages all the way to the 21st century modern ages. When metal detecting on a regular base you will find hundreds of coins each year. I will post pictures of my coins which I made just after I found them - some are still dirty, some are damages and some are almost perfect; these kind of pictures give some cool ambience!

And of course many will be completely smooth and unreadable. There are thousands of different coins to be found, some are very rare and thus special - others can be found in abundance or are from a very late modern era. But to be honest, I think every found coin is somehow special!

A very nice fact is these coins represent the path of history. Every era thoughout the centuries represent certain countries and provinces, changed throughout time. Finding coins and researching them is learning about history.

One of the most ancient coins which can be found on Dutch soil are of course Roman Empire coins. After these some very rare dark ages coins can be found. These dark ages resulted in the medieval ages in which several kings/ regions had their own silver and golden coins.

Eventually copper coins were added. From the late medieval times coins were produced and distributed by a specific craft which involved coinmasters, stampmasters and valuers. All these masters were officially registered and each crafted during certain years.

The kingdoms and regions of the Netherlands came under attack from the Spanish. This resulted in the Union of Utrecht (1579) – which at first consisted of the ‘Seven Provinces’. These were very chaotic times and it is impossible to explain all cities, sieges, kings/ princes and armies in short.

Therefore, to keep it ontopic, during this era Spanish royalty ruled some regions , while others (cities/ regions) remained autonomous and defiant. This is the period from which many copper coins can be found.

All of the ‘Seven Provinces’ coins can be found on farmer fields. These coins are called ‘duiten’. Besides the aformentioned provinces many duiten from other origins were also produced.

Other (foreign) coins

Besides the ‘Duiten’ coins there were also coins of Spanish rulers within the Netherlands provinces/ cities. Some produced their own currencies. During these times, and the ‘80 year war’, many foreign soldiers and mercenaries joined forces. Also trading from other countries still occurred. This resulted in all sorts of foreign coins from these era’s which can be found on Dutch fields. Jettons (rekenpenningen) were also used for other purposes – these coin like items are also possible to find.

Above: a 1/4 Kreuzer 1808 Duke Friedrich Wilhelm and Friedrich August of the (German) Nassau state. Next to it a very rare VOC coin (duit) which were prohibited in The Netherlands for usage due to their lower worth.

To the left a Spanish Netherlands Liard of Governor Maximilian II Emanuel of Bavaria, marked 1712. This coin could be extreme rare since it has a mismatched stamp, or it was stamped over another coin, a second text can be seen on the outside!

To the right a German States 1/4 Stuber 1796 and a Frankfurt am Main 1 Heller 1821.

To the left a very rare silver coin: 1 Marcello of the Republic of Venice (Italian States), doge Andrea Gritti (1523-1538). Its makers mark RC refers to Ruzier Contarini who made these coins in 1536.

Next to it a so called coin weight; not an official coin but still a much coin related item. These weights were used for several reasons; to validate a certain coin or to value amounts of other coin types referring to this particular coin (a sort of amcient money exchange service!). This particular weight was used for a Carolus Gulden (produced 1521-1556) and is marked 96WAL - which stands for 1596 Willem van Langenberch, Antwerpen.

To the right a so called jeton - this one is a Nuremberg jeton of Lodewijk IV - Hoffmann, 1719-1756. Jetons (tokens) were used as counters for use in calculation on a counting board.

To the left a Spanish Netherlands Roermond Liard of Albrecht and Isabella, archdukes of Brabant, Austria and Burgundy. The coin reads 'ARCHIDVCES AVST DVCES GELD' and was produced between 1606-1612.

To the right a 1791 French 12 Deniers from Metz, depicting King Louis XVI. 

In 1795 the Batavian Republic was erected. This republic was in the wake of the French Republic and was essentially a vassal state of France. In 1810 the Netherlands were officially integrated into the French empire. After the defeat of Napoleon and the French empire in 1813 the Northern Netherlands was in transition to becoming an official kingdom. Which it became in 1815 by the rule of king Willem I.

Hence forth until our modern ages the bloodline of the Dutch Royal family ‘Van Oranje’ would rule with their kings and queens. Every period had its own king or queen depicted on the coins.

*From 1815 the Dutch coin system was changed from the duiten-system to the decimal system:

• 1 cent – 10 cents etc.
• 100 cents = 1 gulden

World War 2 German occupation coins

During the German occupation of The Netherlands low cost zinc coins were introduced by the Germans. Due to the zinc composition most of these coins found by metal detector are very worn/ corroded. These coins were only produced from 1941 - 1944.

Foreign coins (late) 19th century and early 20th century

Some later era found foreign coins: a 50 Pfennig , Deutsches Reich, 1921; together with Deutsches Reich 1 Pfennig (1915) and 2 Pfennig (1875). Beneath two other commonly found coins of an other Dutch neighbour: a Belgian 2 centimes (1865) and 1 centime (1873).

Juliana coin set of 1 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent ('dubbeltje'), 25 cent ('kwartje') and 1 Gulden. The left 1 Gulden is a silver specimen (produced between 1954 and 1967) and the right 1 Gulden is the later nickel type. 

Foreign coins (late) 20th century and early 21st century

Foreign coins found during the past decades are almost all unique - travellers from all over the world, not just mainly from Europe like in the centuries before, are possible to lost some coins. Although modern and still in use this gives a nice indication what could be found in the Netherlands!:

One Cent USA (Abraham Lincoln) 1951 and a One Penny UK - Queen Elizabeth II, 1990.

Algerian 10 Dinar 1979 and my most distant nation finding: a Phillipines (!) 1962 One Centavo.

A very modern Turkish 50 Yeni Kurus 2005 and a Belgian 50 Centimes 1965.