Engraved with the Image of St. Barbara

CNG 108, Lot: 1022. Estimate $5000. Sold for $6500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

DUTCH REVOLT (Nederlandse Opstand), Low Countries. Amsterdam. Besieged by the States-General, December 1577-8 February 1578. AR 40 Stuiver Klippe (38x41mm, 28.69 g). Post-siege issue. Dated 1578. Crowned coat-of-arms above 1578/XL; vuurstaal (fire steel) stamp above / Blank, but with later engraving of St. Barbara standing right, holding chalice surmounted by host and palm frond; sword on ground behind her; in background, tree and bath house with three windows to left; additional trees to right; S. BAR BARA around; all within circular linear border. P&W Am 05; Gelder, Noodmunten, 125; Delmonte, Argent, 201; Maillet 6; Lasser 1145; CNM 2.02.19 (all examples without additional engraving). In NGC encapsulation, 4228601-001, graded AU Details, engraved. Toned.

Ex Archer M. Huntington Collection, ANS 1001.1.1444 (Numismatica Genevensis SA VII, 27 November 2012), lot 551 (hammer 16,000 CHF on a 1000 CHF estimate).

According to Maillet, the silver for this issue was provided by the chandeliers, lamps, and vases of the Nieuwe Kerk.

In the Dutch Revolt, Amsterdam initially refused to join Holland, Zeeland, and the southern provinces, all of whom wanted to push the Spanish from Dutch territory. In late 1577, the rebel Dutch forces blockaded the city. The blockade ended in February of 1578, when Amsterdam grudgingly agreed to join the rebellion against Spain. Soon after, the Catholic town council was replaced by Protestant members loyal to William, Prince of Orange, thus positioning Amsterdam as a participant in the Dutch struggle for independence. During the blockade, the city struck several denominations of silver siege coinage.

According to the hagiographies, Barbara was the daughter of a rich pagan named Dioscorus. To preserve her from the outside world, her father kept her locked in a tower. During this time, she secretly became a Christian. Dioscorus ordered that a bath house be built for Barbara while he was on a journey. Upon his return, Barbara proclaimed her faith, causing her father to draw his sword. Through Barbara’s prayers, an opening magically appeared and she was transported to a distant province. There she was eventually captured and tortured by the local prefect. Holding true to her faith, she was repeatedly tortured, but every evening the wounds were miraculously healed. She was finally beheaded by her father, who was himself burned by lightning.

Barbara was the patron saint of artillerymen, as well as armorers, military engineers, gunsmiths, tunnelers, miners, and anyone who worked with cannon and explosives. Siege pieces with post-event messages or engravings, like this coin, on their normally blank reverse, suggests that these coins were kept as a memento or souvenir by those who participated in the siege. Since the engraving here is the patroness of those involved in the active defense of the city, the owner may have had the engraving done as a devotional reminder of having survived the worst of the siege.