1782 Silver Medal Betts-607, Dutch American Freedom

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,040 MS61 11-21-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1782 silver medal (Betts-607) celebrates "Dutch American Freedom," combining the themes of Dutch support for American independence with the shared republican values of the two nations. The Netherlands was itself a republic — the United Provinces — and Dutch political philosophers and public opinion found natural sympathy with the American struggle against monarchical tyranny. The Betts-607 medal emphasizes the ideological dimension of the Dutch-American alliance, framing it as a partnership between two freedom-loving peoples. Colonial-era medals were produced at royal mints, private workshops, and jewelers' studios across Europe, with production quality ranging from masterfully engraved official issues to crudely cast provincial pieces. This is the final entry in the sequence of Betts 602-607 medals documenting the 1782 Dutch-American diplomatic achievements, completing one of the most thoroughly commemorated chapters in the Betts catalog.

Rarity Notes

Original 1782 silver. Dutch American Freedom. Final in the 1782 Dutch recognition series. Scarce.

Cross References

Betts-607; Dutch American Freedom 1782; Dutch-American republican solidarity