The earliest duits which were intended for circulation in the Netherlands for Zeelandia was 1604. The scutcheon as depicted at both sides were used in general in the period 1724-1754, and later on 1792-1797.
Photograph 1 shows the offcentric struck scutcheon of 1724, photo 2 the scutcheon as it was depicted in 1792 and later on.
Maybe it has something to do with resistance, because from 1796 on the Netherlands were occupied territory by the French.
www.geldmuseum.nl is a dutch link which you can use for reaching experts on this subject.
The existing 1754 type has to weigh 3,84 grammes. At the backside you ought to see ZEELANDIA 1754, AND ABOVE THE ZEE A CASTLE IN BETWEEN 2 ROSES. The castle is the mintmark of the city of Middelburg.
For the year 1754 there exists both a duit with text EMENTOR as well as EMERGO. THEY ARE RATED COMPARIBLE PRICES OVER HERE IN HOLLAND.
Duits are forged heavenly. The German city of Reckheim was known for copied Dutch duits with many writing errors.
But this is not a forgery, this is a Joke!
Martinus Holtzhey was the person who struck the duits.
All duits had restricted text luctor et emergo.
He was father too a son, named Johannes Martinus Holtzhey Junior.
Father wanted that his son also become a coinmaker, but Junior revolted against the authorities in Middelburg after he had failed to pass his exams. Formally papa has used his influence at these authorities to arrange that the son was given formally a years wages for his duties as making the duits; instead, pappa did all the work for Junior.
Junior did not make any duit for Zeeland as the authorities were agreed to the fact that the boy did not have any skills to do so. Instead Junior became nevertheless essayeur in 1765 after his fathers depart.
However, in 1754 there was a frauduleus scam in the minting house of Middelburg, which after it was discovered by the authorities, never have been taken notice from again by published punishment or publiced motivations about how and why it was done by whom.
A lady, M. de Man, did some extensive research about this in 1900, but did not find anything in the archives.
Fact is that in 1753 there has been an official agreement about giving the duit a more modern appearance in the forthcoming years.
Usually duits were struck in january and february of the forthcoming year.
Fact is also that in 1754 no new design was available.
Junior made his own duit and made the writing error ementor in stead of emergo.
Ementor is a non existing latin word.
Ementare means to kill, so the lyrics should pass for I fight and kill or I fought and was killed.
The authorities in Middelburg would not be the laughing stock of the nation, and besides, who can read latin those days.
So ementor duits were pressed in the mint of Middelburg, and later on that year of 1754 also the duits with the text emergo were made.
There are actually more duits EMENTOR struck then there are EMERGO, so Emergo is more expensive to obtain than his Joke-cousin Ementor.
Was it an illegal activity of minting personnel? Doubtfull.
there is another existing link, which may provide more knowledge about your specimen.
http://www.duiten.nl/zeeland.htm#N_4_ 
Posted 08/25/2007 01:37 am
