Netherlands 1 gulden 1848 - William II

The coin's story

This silver guilder in 945 thousandths silver belongs to the series struck from 1840 to 1849 in the name of William II, who succeeded his father William I after the latter's abdication on 7 October 1840. William II reigned from 1840 to 1849, faced with the European revolutions of 1848, he had the liberal Johan Thorbecke draft a new constitution that strengthened Parliament and the ministers at the expense of the King. The King's portrait is the work of the engraver David van der Kellen Jr. The reverse bears the crowned arms and the legend MUNT VAN HET KONINKRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN (Coin of the Kingdom of the Netherlands). The 1848 date, the year of the new constitution, was struck in 13,614,913 pieces at the Utrecht Mint. The edge bears the motto GOD ZY MET ONS (God be with us).