AV Ducat 1685 Transylvania Michael Apafi (Fagaras, Resch 257) with countermark ‘B’ for Batavia 1686/1700 (Ref.: Scho. 9; Passon 6.2) - 3.42 gram – VF/XF – RRRR – extremely rare and the first surfaced example of this countermark on a non-Dutch ducat – appealing host coin._x000D_ _x000D_ By resolution of august 20th 1686, the VOC took action against a phenomenon that had plagued its economic policies throughout the 17th century. Gold and silver, much desired in the East, was scarce on the eastern markets. Gold ducats and silver ducatons were thus trading at a higher valuation than in continental Europe, sometimes a difference of nearly 30 to 40%! The VOC handily used their Dutch monopoly on exporting precious metals to the east to maximize their profit. But this difference in valuation also gave rise to an intricate system of smuggling. By private merchants foremost, but also by sailors of the VOC itself. Stories of sailors sewing their entire life-savings into hidden compartments in their clothes, with the intention of making a huge profit, are known from countless administrative records and trial cases. To combat these issues, the VOC would countermark the roughly 20.000 gold ducats in their treasury in Batavia, indicating they were officially imported by the VOC themselves. _x000D_ _x000D_ 14 years later however, the problem seems to have become dire once more and the almost 50.000 Ducats in the VOC treasury in Batavia were marked, again with this same countermark. In the placcards this time, it was specifically stated that not only would countermarked Dutch Ducats be accepted in circulation, but so would Venetian and Hungarian Ducats of full weight and with the countermarked B. _x000D_ _x000D_ Yet, while the not insignificant amount of nearly 70.000 pieces were countermarked, few seem to have survived to the present day. High demand for precious metals must have seen most examples circulated heavily and ended up in the crucible in large quantities. The entire corpus consists of roughly 4 examples, excluding the present piece. The Dutch auction house Coin Investment sold a Holland Dubbele Dukaat 1683 in 1978 (current whereabouts unknown) and in 1987 a Utrecht Dukaat 1684 (The later R.J. Ford/ Adams collection piece). Two additional examples surfaced at DNW in 2004; A Dukaat Gelderland 1646 (later Coll. Seki and sold by HA in 2019) and a Dukaat Holland 1693 (Later Coll. Verschoor). _x000D_ _x000D_ Of these examples, the recently resurfaced Verschoor example, on a host from 1693, is the only one that must have undoubtedly been countermarked in the batch of 1700. Analysis of this piece reveals the same punch was used as on other three examples, which we presume to have been part of the first 20.000 countermarked in 1686. This means the punch was kept by the treasury, unused, for more than a decade. The once sharp surfaces of the punch, seen on the Seki and Ford/Adams pieces, roughing up and showing signs of die-rust from lying unused in the humid climate of Batavia. _x000D_ _x000D_ The 1685 Transylvanian Ducat on offer here similarly shows an optically slightly muddled countermark, again lacking the sharpness seen on the Seki and Ford/Adams specimens. Presumably, this lead to NGC giving ‘no decision’ on the piece. Yet, even if the coin predates the 1686 batch, we believe it unlikely the piece made its way from Transylvania to Batavia in a single year. Like the Verschoor piece, it thus proports to have been part of the second batch in 1700. While the more advanced die-rust on the piece complicates identification of certain attributes, similar dimensions and spatially matching layout of the punch, as well as the characteristic right-angle breakage or chip on the lower-left serif of the B, are all observed on this coin. Additionally, the Verschoor specimen shows signs of the punch-deterioration around the middle of the top loop of the ‘B’, progressed further on our piece. _x000D_ _x000D_ The non-suspect origin of the coin, stemming from a specialized Transylvanian collection, rule out the latest wave of forgeries from Indonesia. Fabric-wise, the strength of application and the optical appearance of the ‘through-strike’ bulge on the reverse, are all similar to other 17th century countermarked pieces observed by the cataloguer. We are of the opinion that the piece on offer here presents itself congruently with the other known examples. Albeit struck with a further deteriorated and rusted punch, admittedly making a full and final verdict complex. The first time the coveted ‘B’ countermark is observed on a non-Dutch coin and a remarkable addition to Dutch Overseas numismatics

Batavia, lead/tin pitis (1.37 g.), VOC / AO 1744 / rev.: blank, struck in Batavia, made of lead and tin in approximately equal quantity. The pitis, with a value of ¼ doit or 1/16 of a stiver, were made in the trade/craft centre of Batavia. The production was farmed out by auction to the Shahbandars. Provenance: recovered from recent dredging of canals in Jakarta. Very Rare gF-VF

Batavia, lead/tin pitis (1.70 g.), VOC / AO 1744 / rev.: blank, struck in Batavia, made of lead and tin in approximately equal quantity. The pitis, with a value of ¼ doit or 1/16 of a stiver, were made in the trade/craft centre of Batavia. The production was farmed out by auction to the Shahbandars. The Shahbandar (Persian, lit. “harbourmaster”) was in charge of the traders and the collection of taxes. They were put into circulation on 14 February 1744 and declared current in Batavia and on Java. Provenance: recovered from recent dredging of canals in Jakarta – about XF-UNC and in the utmost state of preservation - very rare, particularly in this grade._x000D_ Ref.: Dutch-Indonesian placard-book, 1602-1811, vol. 5, p.111-112 & p.132; Netcher v.d. Chijs (Batavia, 1863); De Beeldenaar No. 5, sept/oct. 2020 p. 225-228; Passon 18.1

Batavia – Tin tang or Larijn (Passon 4.2; Scho. 20a) (10.06 g.), ND (1660), length 30.8 mm, width 12.9 mm., at either end stamped with a sword with laurel wreath (Coat of Arms of Batavia) and folded once over. Owing to the shortage of coins of small denomination, which had led to great disturbances and troubles, and in order to accommodate the indigenous population, the Batavian Government by a Res. of Nov. 9, 1658, decided to prepare at Batavia copper "Tangen" of the same shape as those on the coast of India, Ceylon, Coromandel, Bengal and Aracan, having at either end a small mark to prevent them from being shortened, and to declare them current at the rate of an "Oortje" (2 Doits). In due course the mint master for the production of these emergency pieces, found the copper at hand so hard that it was impracticable for the purpose and it was therefore decided that further issues should be made from tin. Exceptionally rare issue R3 – VF for issue

Batavia - Copper tang or Larijn (Passon 4.1; Scho. 20b) (5.22 g.), ND (1660), length 26.7 mm, width 9.5 mm., at either end stamped with a sword with laurel wreath (Coat of Arms of Batavia) and folded once over. Owing to the shortage of coins of small denomination, which had led to great disturbances and troubles, and in order to accommodate the indigenous population, the Batavian Government by a Res. of Nov. 9, 1658, decided to prepare at Batavia copper "Tangen" of the same shape as those on the coast of India, Ceylon, Coromandel, Bengal and Aracan, having at either end a small mark to prevent them from being shortened, and to declare them current at the rate of an "Oortje" (2 Doits). In due course the mint master for the production of these emergency pieces, found the copper at hand so hard that it was impracticable for the purpose and it was therefore decided that further issues should be made from tin. Exceptionally rare issue R4 – F-VF