1631 Silver Medal Betts-33, Dutch Naval Victory

Coin Details

Auction Record

$13,200 MS61 11-30-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1631 silver medal, Betts-33, commemorates a Dutch naval victory during the intensifying maritime conflict between the Dutch Republic and the Iberian powers. Throughout the early 1630s, Dutch warships and privateers conducted aggressive operations against Spanish and Portuguese shipping in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and along the Americas' coasts. These engagements were part of the broader Eighty Years' War, with the Americas serving as a crucial theater. The silver composition indicates a higher-quality commemorative intended for officials, naval officers, or prominent citizens with a direct stake in colonial conflicts. European medallic art of this era served as an official record of imperial achievements, with court-appointed medalists crafting pieces that communicated territorial claims and military victories to educated audiences across the continent. The medal documents Dutch naval supremacy during this period of aggressive colonial expansion.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. Dutch naval victory medals from the early 1630s are seldom encountered.

Cross References

Betts-33