Dutch gulden

Encyclopedia : D : DU : DUT : Dutch gulden

---

Dutch gulden
1 Dutch gulden 2001

The gulden (sometimes called guilder in English), represented by the symbol ƒ or fl., was the name of the currency used in the Netherlands from the 15th century until 1999, when it was replaced by the euro (coins and notes were not introduced until 2002). Guldens are still in use in the Netherlands Antilles, a Dutch dependency, although distinct from the Netherlands gulden. In 2004, the Suriname gulden was replaced by the Suriname dollar.

The name "gulden" was derived from "gouden" (golden) or "verguld" (gilded).

The exact exchange rate, still relevant for old contracts and for exchange of the legacy currency for euros at the central bank, is 2.20371 Dutch gulden (NLG) for 1 euro (EUR). Inverted, this gives EUR 0.453780 for NLG 1.

Guilder is also a fictional nation in the book The Princess Bride, as is florin.

History

In the Netherlands, both gold and silver gulden coins were issued. In the 18th century, the silver gulden was divided into 20 stuivers, each of 8 duit or 16 penning. At various times, other coins derived from the guilder emerged. Among them were the daalder of one and a half gulden (30 stuivers) and the rijksdaalder of two and a half gulden (50 stuivers). The names were derived from the German thaler.

The symbol ƒ or fl. for the Dutch gulden was derived from another old currency, the florijn.

Following the Napoleonic wars, the Netherlands decimalized, with one gulden equal to 100 cents. However, some of the new, decimal coins continued to bear nicknames based on their values in the older currency system.

The Chinese translation for "florin" and consequently "guilder" is "盾" (literally: shield). It originated from the translation referring to the British florin with its four shields in the 1849 design. This translation was then borrowed to refer similarly to the Dutch florin and guilder. As a result, currencies in the guilder-based Aruba and Netherlands Antilles are still referred to as "盾".

Denominations

At the time of withdrawal, the following denominations were circulating, the 1 cent coin having been withdrawn in 1983:

• Coins - nickname:
• * 5 cent - stuiver
• * 10 cent - dubbeltje (doubler - because this comprises of two stuivers)
• * 25 cent - kwartje (quarter)
• * 100 cent / 1 gulden - gulden, piek
• * 250 cent / 2.50 gulden - rijksdaalder, colloquially riks or knaak, not to be confused with the older valued daalder (1.50 gulden)
• * 500 cent / 5.00 gulden - vijfje

All the coins carried a profile image of the Queen on the heads side and a simple grid on the other side.

• Banknotes - nickname:
• * 10 gulden - tientje, joet
• * 25 gulden - geeltje
• * 50 gulden - zonnebloem (sunflower)
• * 100 gulden - honderdje, meier / later: snip (common Snipe)
• * 250 gulden - vuurtoren (lighthouse)
• * 1000 gulden - duizendje, (rooie) rug / rooi(tj)e

At the time of withdrawal, all but the 50 and 250 gulden notes had been issued in a new revision that was the same colour as the older, long-serving notes but with a mostly abstract pattern, featuring a different bird for each denomination.

Persons depicted on older banknotes:

• ƒ 5 - poet Joost van den Vondel (until the note was replaced by a ƒ 5 coin)
• ƒ 10 - painter Frans Hals
• ƒ 25 - composer Jan Petersz. Sweelinck
• ƒ 100 - admiral Michiel de Ruyter (This being the most profitable note to couterfeit it was first replaced by a note featuring the common snipe. This not was of a similar design as the newly introduced 50 and 250 gulden notes; and was again replaced by an abstract design in the last series of gulden notes)
• ƒ 1000 - philosopher Baruch d'Spinoza

These 1970's "face"-notes and the 80's ƒ 50 (sunflower), ƒ 100 (snipe) and ƒ 250 (lighthouse) were designed by R.D.E. Oxenaar. Eventually all faces were to be replaced by abstracts, designed by Jaap Drupsteen, see above.

Again earlier, there was a banknote of ƒ 2.50, and longer ago, one of ƒ 1.

The coins (not including the 1 cent, or the silver versions of the 1 or 2.5 gulden, but including the cupronickel versions of the 1 and 2.5 gulden, and also the 50 gulden commemorative coins) remain exchangeable for euros at branches of the Netherlands Central Bank until January 1, 2007. Banknotes valid at the time of conversion to the euro may be exchanged there until January 1, 2032.

See also

• De Nederlandsche Bank

External links