Greatest Debauchee of the Age

harasha · January 8, 2011 6:09AM

Allegedly describing Willem III of the Netherlands. Pictured here is Queen Emma, second wife and 41 years his junior.

Zohar · January 8, 2011 6:23AM

Oh yes!

WillieBoyd2 · January 9, 2011 12:37AM

But was she his cousin like his first wife?

Netherlands 1 Guilder 1866 - William III

Netherlands 2-1/2 Guilders 1873 - William III

MacCrimmon · January 9, 2011 3:26AM

Well, that medal is certainly not 'debauched'. The scroll could be engraved, "I am beautiful".

Andres · January 9, 2011 10:43AM

""but was she his cousin like his first wife""

No, she was not , but they were somehow related on both sides, not uncommon,
all royalties were related in those days.

after King Willem III died in 1890 , his wife Emma acted as queen untill 1898 , she was succeded by her daughter
Wilhelmina, which was succeded by her daughter Juliana in 1948, which was succeded by her daughter Beatrix in 1980.
after 4 queens and 120 years , Prince Willem Alexander will take over the throne in the coming years,
he willl be probably known as King Willem IV.

*that silver medal is a beautie , looks like it was designed by P.Pander ?

harasha · January 9, 2011 7:08PM

I am unfamiliar with Pander. The piece is signed by Menger.
I wonder how popular that 50g piece was, that you imaged. I guess the intent was to portray the 4 queens as part of the bedrock on which the Netherlands sits.

Andres · January 9, 2011 9:39PM

There were 2 Mengers , senior: J.P. Menger and Junior: J.P.M Menger
Pier Pander was a dutch sculptor living in Rome and designed the first new 1898 Wilhelmina coins.

there is almost no bedrock in the Netherlands, just sand , clay , peak moor and lots of water

the 1990 coin was issued in: circulation quality: 800.000 (210.000 melted, leaving 590.000) BU 50.400 - PROOF 34.500
they are still for sale at their face value 50 gulden = 23 euro = $ 30 US (circulation UNC quality) a little bit more for BU and PROOF

lordmarcovan · January 10, 2011 8:56AM

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What a truly bizarre looking coin that modern piece is. It's as though the monarchs were being represented as neolithic stone tools or something.

ajaan · January 10, 2011 9:47AM

My thoughts exactly Rob.

ProofArtworkonCircs · January 10, 2011 2:54PM

I was half expecting somebody to ask what "G H V L " was on the 2 1/2 guilder coins. William III was also the grand duke of Luxembourg.
By private family treaty, this title remained with the male branch of the family, so Wilhelmina could not inherit it. The new ruler's son daughtered out and there were no more males left, so his daughters inheirited the title.

Andres · January 11, 2011 6:31AM

short history of former dutch possesions:

north east coast of America - lost to England in 1673 as part of a trade against Guyana & Suriname

South Africa - lost to England in 1806 due to the Napoleonic wars
Belgium - lost in the war of indepence in 1830 under King Willem I
Luxumbourg - lost after King Willem died in 1890
Indonesia - lost in the indonesian war of indepence, in 1949 Indonesia became a Republic.
Irian Jaya (Papoea New Guinee) lost in 1963 after an UN decision
Suriname - lost in 1975, after a mutual agreement, Suriname is now a republic lead by a dictator

only a few islands in the Carribean still belong more or less to the Netherlands,
Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Saba, St. Eustasius and Sint Maarten.

Greatest Debauchee of the Age

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