10 Guilder Netherlands Gold Coin | Mixed Years

10 Guilders Netherlands Gold Coin — Mixed Years (Wilhelm III and Wilhelmina, 1875-1933) — historic gold of the Kingdom of the Netherlands based on the LMU standard

The 10 Guilders Netherlands gold coin is a classic gold coin of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, struck by the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Royal Dutch Mint, Utrecht) from 1875 to 1933 — featuring the portraits of King Wilhelm III (1875-1889) and Queen Wilhelmina (1898-1933). Specification: gross mass 6.720 g, pure-gold mass 6.048 g, 0.900 fineness, 22.5 mm diameter and a face value of 10 Dutch guilders (NLG) as historic legal tender of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The obverse features the portrait of the monarch (Wilhelm III or Wilhelmina in four portrait types during her reign); the reverse — the heraldic shield of the Netherlands (Dutch lion with sword and arrows) with crown and the inscription KONINGRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN. The standard is close to the LMU (10 guilders ≈ 21 LMU francs); the Dutch 10-guilder coin functioned as compatible with the gold system of the Latin Monetary Union. Market premium typically 4-8% over spot. VAT-exempt in the EU as a historic legal-tender coin with a fineness ≥0.900 struck after 1800.

Technical specification

Why 10 Guilders Netherlands deserves a place in your portfolio

• Classic gold of the Kingdom of the Netherlands — 58 years of continuous production 1875-1933: 10 Guilders is the flagship gold coin of the Netherlands of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, struck by the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt in Utrecht continuously for 58 years (1875-1933). The total production period covers the reigns of three monarchs: Wilhelm III (1875-1889), the regency of Emma (1890-1898 — on behalf of the minor Wilhelmina) and Wilhelmina (1898-1933, actual reign until 1948, abdication in favour of her daughter Juliana). The coin is one of the longest-struck European 10-guilder coins with portraits of crowned heads.
• Four Wilhelmina portrait types — collector diversity within one series: Wilhelmina reigned from 1898 (taking the throne after coming of age at 18) until her abdication in 1948 (50 years of reign). On the 10-guilder coins her portrait changed four times, reflecting the monarch's age: (1) Wilhelmina-child 1898, (2) young girl 1898-1909, (3) older woman 1910-1925, (4) with crown 1925-1933. Mixed years on sale contain various portrait types — a collector diversity unparalleled in other numismatic series.
• Compatible with the LMU — 10 guilders ≈ 21 Latin Monetary Union francs: the Dutch 10-guilder coin is based on a standard close to the LMU 1865-1927: 0.900 fineness (identical to Vreneli, Napoleon, Angel), pure gold content 6.048 g (vs 5.80645 g on 20-franc LMU). As a result, 10 guilders functioned in international circulation as compatible with the gold system of the Latin Monetary Union — exchangeable in the banks of France, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy at a rate close to 21 LMU francs for 10 guilders.
• Wilhelmina (1880-1962) — the first modern queen of the Netherlands, 58 years of reign: Wilhelmina was the first modern woman monarch of the Netherlands (after a long period of male rulers of the House of Orange-Nassau). She ascended the throne in 1890 as a 10-year-old child (regency of her mother Emma); she took up actual reign in 1898 (after coming of age). She reigned for 58 years (1890-1948, in fact 1898-1948) — the longest-reigning European queen of the 20th century. She abdicated in 1948 in favour of her daughter Juliana; she died in 1962 in Soestdijk. Symbol of Dutch resistance against Nazi occupation (1940-1945) — she sent messages from London to the occupied country.
• Market premium 4-8% over spot — low premium in the segment of historic gold coins: 10 Guilders has one of the lower premiums in the segment of historic gold coins (only LMU 20-franc coins have lower — typically 2-5%). This results from the large production scale (58 years of continuous emission = millions of pieces) and the absence of a strong collector market focused on the Netherlands (in contrast to USA, Germany, UK, France). For an investor focused on gold content, the Dutch 10 Guilders offers an optimal price-to-bullion-weight ratio in the segment of historic European coins.

History of the 10 Guilders Netherlands (1875-1933) — gold of Wilhelm III and Wilhelmina

The 10 Dutch guilders gold coin was introduced by the currency reform of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1875 — during the reign of King Wilhelm III (1849-1890). The coin replaced earlier 10-guilder issues (from 1818) and established the Dutch gold standard based on 0.900 fineness and a pure gold content of 6.048 g. The choice of the 0.900 parameter (instead of the earlier 0.980) was a response to convergence with the LMU standard (Latin Monetary Union, 1865) — although the Netherlands did not formally join the LMU, they sought to maintain compatibility of their coins with the international gold system.

Wilhelm III Hohenzollern (1817-1890, reign 1849-1890) was the last male king of the House of Orange-Nassau before the first queen Wilhelmina. He reigned for 41 years — a period of significant changes in the Netherlands: implementation of the constitutional reform (1848, restriction of absolute monarchy in favour of constitutional monarchy), abolition of slavery in the Dutch colonies (1863, Suriname and Dutch East Indies), introduction of the gold standard (1875). After his death in 1890 the throne was taken by his 10-year-old daughter Wilhelmina (from his second wife Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont), under the regency of her mother Emma until reaching the age of majority in 1898.

Wilhelmina (1880-1962, reign 1890-1948) was the first modern woman monarch of the Netherlands. Actual reign began in 1898 after the coronation in Amsterdam (Nieuwe Kerk, 6 September 1898) — at the age of 18. Her 50-year reign covered: the First World War (Netherlands neutral, 1914-1918), interwar economic development (1918-1939), abandonment of the gold standard (1936), the Second World War (Netherlands occupied by Nazi Germany 1940-1945, Wilhelmina in exile in London together with the Dutch government), post-war reconstruction and the independence of Indonesia (1949). She abdicated on 4 September 1948 in favour of her daughter Juliana.

Wilhelmina's 10-guilder coins are particularly valued by collectors because of the four portrait types reflecting the queen's age: (1) Wilhelmina-child 1898 (rare collector year, reign taken at a young age), (2) young Wilhelmina 1898-1909 (the longest-used design), (3) older Wilhelmina 1910-1925 (design change after marriage to Prince Hendrik of Mecklenburg), (4) Wilhelmina with crown 1925-1933 (last design before abandonment of the gold standard). Mixed years on sale include various portrait types — collector diversity unparalleled in other numismatic series.

Production of 10-guilder coins ended in 1933 — two years after the abandonment of the gold standard by Great Britain (1931) and three years before the abandonment of the gold standard by the Netherlands (1936). The Great Depression (1929-1939) and the currency crisis of the 1930s ended the era of circulating gold coins in Western Europe. After the Second World War the Netherlands introduced a new currency, the guilder (NLG), based on the Bretton Woods standard (USD), and in 2002 — the euro (EUR). Today the 10-guilder coins of Wilhelm III and Wilhelmina are popular investment and collector coins on the Dutch, German and Polish markets.

Obverse — portrait of the monarch (Wilhelm III or Wilhelmina)

The obverse of the 10 Guilders Netherlands coin features the portrait of the monarch reigning in the given period — Wilhelm III (issues 1875-1889, including the last with the date 1888 or 1889) or Wilhelmina (issues 1898-1933, in four portrait variants). Around the portrait is the inscription in Dutch: WILLEM III KONING DER NEDERLANDEN (Wilhelm III King of the Netherlands) or WILHELMINA KONINGIN DER NEDERLANDEN (Wilhelmina Queen of the Netherlands). The year of mintage is below the portrait.

Wilhelm III Hohenzollern (1817-1890, reign 1849-1890) is depicted on the 10-guilder coins of 1875-1889 as an older man with beard and moustache in the style of European monarchs of the second half of the 19th century. His design was conceived by J.P. Schouten (medallist of the Royal Dutch Mint in Utrecht) in 1875 — the design dominated until the monarch's death in 1890. After Wilhelm III's death came the eight-year regency of Emma (1890-1898) on behalf of the minor Wilhelmina — during this period no 10-guilder coins were struck (only coins of lower denominations).

Wilhelmina (1880-1962) — the first modern queen of the Netherlands — was depicted on the 10-guilder coins of 1898-1933 in four successive portrait variants reflecting her age: (1) Type I "child" (1898, coronation in Amsterdam) — youngest portrait of the 18-year-old queen, short-lived, only emitted in the coronation year; (2) Type II "young girl" (1898-1909) — portrait with hair tied in a braid, design dominating for 11 years; (3) Type III "older" (1910-1925) — portrait with hair gathered in a bun, introduced after marriage to Prince Hendrik of Mecklenburg (1901); (4) Type IV "crown" (1925-1933) — portrait with crown on head, introduced as the last design before abandonment of the gold standard in 1936.

All four Wilhelmina designs were created by various medallists: P. Pander (Type I 1898), Bart van Hove (Type II 1898-1909, the most popular), Pier Pander (Type III 1910-1925), Joseph Mendes da Costa (Type IV 1925-1933). Mendes da Costa was one of the most important Dutch sculptors and medallists of the early 20th century — his portrait of Wilhelmina with crown became the classic image of the Dutch monarchy in the interwar period. The four Wilhelmina portrait types are a collector specificity of Dutch 10-guilder coins — unparalleled in other numismatic series with monarch portraits.

Reverse — heraldic shield of the Netherlands (Dutch lion with sword and arrows)

The reverse of the 10 Guilders Netherlands coin features the heraldic shield of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Wapen van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden) — with the Dutch lion (Nederlandse Leeuw) holding a sword in its right paw and a bundle of 7 arrows (Pijlenbundel) in its left paw. The shield is crowned by the royal crown (Kroon). Around the shield is the inscription KONINGRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN (Kingdom of the Netherlands) and the denomination 10 G (10 guilders) and the year of mintage.

The Dutch lion (Nederlandse Leeuw) has been the central heraldic symbol of the Kingdom of the Netherlands since 1815 (Congress of Vienna, establishment of the Kingdom of the Netherlands under Wilhelm I of Orange-Nassau). The lion is depicted as rearing on its hind legs (rampant), facing left from the viewer's perspective, with sword in the right paw (symbol of royal authority and military defence) and a bundle of 7 arrows in the left paw (symbol of unity of the 7 united provinces of the Republic of the United Netherlands 1581-1795: Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, Overijssel, Groningen, Friesland).

The bundle of 7 arrows (Pijlenbundel) is a unique Dutch heraldic symbol referring to the seven founding provinces of the Republic of the United Netherlands of 1581 (Plakkaat van Verlatinghe, formal separation from the Spanish Habsburg crown). 7 arrows gathered into one bundle symbolise the federal unity of independent provinces — analogous to the American "E Pluribus Unum" motif ("out of many, one") on the reverse of the Double Eagle. After the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and the establishment of the unified Kingdom of the Netherlands (Wilhelm I), the symbol of 7 arrows was retained as an element of royal heraldry.

The royal crown (Kroon) over the shield is marked in relief on the reverse of the coin. It is the crown of the House of Orange-Nassau — the dynasty ruling the Netherlands from 1815 (Wilhelm I) to today (Willem-Alexander, king from 2013). The inscription KONINGRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN confirms the state status of the coin as an issue of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Royal Dutch Mint, Utrecht) — established 1567 in Dordrecht, moved to Utrecht in 1816 — is the oldest operating mint in the Netherlands and the main producer of national coins.

What to look out for when buying

Check the portrait type — Wilhelm III (1875-1889) or Wilhelmina in four variants (1898 child, 1898-1909 young, 1910-1925 older, 1925-1933 crown). All types have an identical technical specification (6.720 g gross, 6.048 g pure gold, 0.900 fineness, 22.5 mm diameter) — the difference concerns only the portrait on the obverse. Mixed years on sale contain various types without specification of a particular design — most often Type II (young Wilhelmina 1898-1909) or Type III (older Wilhelmina 1910-1925) are offered due to the highest mintages of these designs.

Check authenticity and weight — 10 Guilders weighs 6.720 g gross with the tolerance of the Dutch mint of the 19th-20th century. The 0.900 fineness (Au 90% + Cu 10%) is constant for the entire production 1875-1933 — identical to LMU 20-franc coins. Diameter 22.5 mm and thickness approx. 1.2 mm are also constant. Counterfeits of 10-guilder coins are less common than for more collectible coins (Double Eagle, Sovereign), but known on the market — particularly copies from the 1960s-1970s from the Middle East with lower fineness. Purchase documents from a certified gold dealer are important to secure authenticity.

Check the year and state of preservation — 10 Guilders had a 58-year production period (1875-1933) with various mintages. The highest mintages were in the early years of Wilhelm III's reign (1875-1880) and the second decade of Wilhelmina's reign (1910-1925, Type III "older"). The rarest are the issues of Emma's regency (1890-1898 — period without 10-guilder coins) and the early years of Wilhelmina's reign (1898-1900, Type I "child"). The state of preservation (PCGS/NGC: VF, EF, AU, MS) affects the premium — for the bullion strategy VF-EF is acceptable, for the collector strategy MS-63 or higher is preferred.

The market premium on 10-guilder coins typically holds in the range of 4-8% over spot — one of the lower premiums in the segment of historic European gold coins (only LMU 20-franc coins have lower — typically 2-5%). This results from the large production scale (58 years of continuous emission) and the absence of a strong collector market focused on the Netherlands. For an investor focused on gold content, the Dutch 10 Guilders is an optimal choice in the segment of historic European coins with portraits of crowned heads.

Why GoldInvest24

• Full offer of historic European and world gold coins: our catalogue features not only 10 Guilders Netherlands, but also other historic European coins (LMU 20-franc coins Vreneli, Napoleon, Angel, Helvetia, Leopold II; Austrian ducats and crowns; German 20 marks) and world ones — the American Double Eagle, the South African 2 Rand, the Mexican 50 Peso Centenario. A full cross-section allows building a balanced portfolio of historic European gold (19th-20th c.) and world gold.
• Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt — Royal Dutch Mint since 1567: the mint, established in 1567 in Dordrecht and moved to Utrecht in 1816 — one of the oldest operating European mints. The mint currently produces not only Dutch circulating coins (euro, EU issues), but also commemorative coins and state medals of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Historic 10-guilder coins of Wilhelm III and Wilhelmina are flagship products of the mint from the gold-standard era 1875-1933.
• PL / DE / EN language versions: full technical descriptions and specifications in three languages for convenient service of the Polish, German and international markets — particularly valuable for Dutch historic coins with Dutch terminology (KONINGRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN, Nederlandse Leeuw, Pijlenbundel, Orange-Nassau).
• Current precious-metals quotes: spot data for comparing offer prices with current market valuation — check the current precious-metals prices before purchase to assess the effective premium on Dutch 10-guilder coins relative to the current gold price.
• Full precious-metal categories in one shop: access to gold investment coins, bars, silver, platinum and palladium — all from a single customer account, with full PL/DE/EN support and unified ordering policy across all product categories.

Comparison of 5 great historic world gold coins of package 107

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FAQ — common questions about the 10 Guilders Netherlands

What is the 10 Guilders Netherlands?

10 Guilders Netherlands is a classic gold coin of the Kingdom of the Netherlands struck by the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Utrecht) from 1875 to 1933 — featuring the portraits of King Wilhelm III (1875-1889) and Queen Wilhelmina (1898-1933, in four portrait types). Gross mass 6.720 g, pure gold 6.048 g, 0.900 fineness, 22.5 mm diameter. Obverse: portrait of the monarch, KONING/KONINGIN DER NEDERLANDEN. Reverse: heraldic shield with Dutch lion holding sword and bundle of 7 arrows, KONINGRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN, 10 G. Standard close to the LMU (10 guilders ≈ 21 francs). Legal tender of the Netherlands until 1936.

What is the technical specification of the 10 Guilders Netherlands?

Gross mass 6.720 g (gold + copper), pure-gold mass 6.048 g, 0.900 fineness (Crown Gold-style alloy), alloy Au 90% + Cu 10%, 22.5 mm diameter, approx. 1.2 mm thickness. Manufacturer: Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Royal Dutch Mint, Utrecht). Obverse: portrait of the monarch (Wilhelm III or Wilhelmina in 4 types). Reverse: heraldic shield of the Netherlands with lion holding sword and arrows, KONINGRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN, 10 G, year. Legal tender of the Kingdom of the Netherlands 1875-1933 (until abandonment of the gold standard 1936).

What is the history of the 10 Guilders Netherlands and the monarchs?

Introduced by the 1875 currency reform during the reign of Wilhelm III (1849-1890). Struck in three periods: Wilhelm III 1875-1889 (15 years), Emma's regency 1890-1898 (NO 10-guilder coins), Wilhelmina 1898-1933 (35 years, in 4 portrait types). Total 58 years of continuous production at the Royal Mint Utrecht. After the abandonment of the gold standard in 1936, production ended. Wilhelmina abdicated in 1948 after 50 years of reign (longest-reigning European queen of the 20th century). After WWII new currency guilder (NLG), in 2002 — euro (EUR).

What are the 4 portrait types of Wilhelmina?

Wilhelmina was depicted on the 10-guilder coins 1898-1933 in 4 portrait variants reflecting her age: (1) Type I "child" 1898 (coronation, 18 years) — short-lived, collectible; (2) Type II "young girl" 1898-1909 (hair in braid) — dominant design; (3) Type III "older" 1910-1925 (hair in bun, after marriage to Prince Hendrik 1901); (4) Type IV "crown" 1925-1933 (with crown on head, last design). Four types are a collector specificity unparalleled in other numismatic series with monarch portraits.

For whom is 10 Guilders Netherlands a practical choice?

For investors valuing historic European gold of the 19th-20th centuries — 10 Guilders is the flagship gold coin of the Netherlands of the gold-standard era. For building a Crown Gold-style 0.900 portfolio — 10 guilders alongside LMU 20-franc coins (Vreneli, Napoleon, Angel), German 20 marks, 50 Peso Centenario. For numismatic collectors seeking diversity (4 Wilhelmina portrait types). For those valuing low premiums (4-8%) — one of the lowest in the segment of historic coins with monarch portraits.

What is the VAT, CGT and IRA status of the 10 Guilders Netherlands?

VAT in the EU — EXEMPT (historic legal-tender coin, 0.900 fineness ≥ 0.900, struck after 1800, market price ≤180% of gold value — meets EU Directive 2006/112/EC Art. 344 and Polish VAT Act Art. 122). CGT-free in the UK — NO (CGT-free status applies only to British legal tender — Sovereign, Britannia, Lunar UK). IRA-eligible in the USA — NO (the IRS admits only American coins listed — American Gold Eagle, American Buffalo and selected modern bullion; historic coins, including 10 Guilders, are NOT among the approved).

How do I buy 10 Guilders Netherlands at GoldInvest24?

Place an order in our shop with access to the full gold investment coins category, the complete offer of great historic world gold coins (Double Eagle USA, 50 Peso Mexico, 20 Marks Germany, 10 Guilders Netherlands, 2 Rand RSA) and LMU 20-franc coins. Check the current gold quotes to compare the premium against the current spot price. Descriptions and specifications are available in PL / DE / EN.