1631 Silver Medal Betts-30, Pernambuco

Coin Details

Description

This 1631 silver medal, Betts-30, commemorates the Dutch capture of Pernambuco (Recife) in northeastern Brazil. In February 1630, a Dutch West India Company fleet of 67 ships carrying 7,000 soldiers attacked and captured the prosperous sugar-producing region, establishing Dutch Brazil (New Holland) that would last until 1654. The conquest was directly funded by Matanzas Bay treasure. Pernambuco was the richest sugar-producing region in the world, and its capture gave the Dutch control of a hugely profitable commodity trade. Colonial medals served multiple functions simultaneously: as propaganda tools promoting imperial policy, as diplomatic gifts establishing relationships with indigenous peoples and rival powers, and as commemorative art preserving historical memory. The medal commemorates this major expansion of Dutch colonial power in South America and the beginning of Dutch rule under Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Silver examples documenting Dutch colonial expansion in Brazil are highly sought.

Cross References

Betts-30