Lot #570: Rare Netherlands 1941 Twenty-Five Cent Zinc Coin - Viking Longship - Tulips - German Occupation Issue - Acorn - Cadaceus

Obverse: Features a stylized Viking Longship, sailing to the left on a wavy sea. Above the ship is the word NEDERLAND and the date 1941. This design was intended to downplay Dutch nationalism and Independence, avoiding the portrait of Queen Wilhelmina, who was in exile in Ottawa, and instead celebrate and foster Germanic and Nordic associations and origins. Reverse: Features the denomination 25 CENT in the center. The background is decorated with four large, stylized Tulips in a cross-like formation, representing the Dutch floral heritage. Mint Marks include the Mercury Staff (Utrecht Mint) and the Acorn (Mint Master mark for W.J. van Heteren, who operated under the occupation). The 1941 Netherlands 25 cent (or "kwartje") in zinc is a somber but fascinating "emergency" issue. Struck during the German occupation of World War II, these coins replaced the traditional silver issues as the precious metal was hoarded or seized for the war effort. This was the first year of the zinc emergency coinage. Because zinc is a highly reactive and soft metal, these coins were never meant to be permanent currency. They were a tool of economic necessity during a time of extreme scarcity. Despite the ostensibly "neutral" design, many Dutch citizens viewed these zinc coins with disdain, often hiding their silver coins as a form of silent resistance. Dimensions: Zinc. 19 mm. 2.5 g. Pickup category timeslot {A}