Lot #661: Netherlands Antilles 2017 Twenty-Five Cent Coin - "NEDERLANDSE ANTILLEN" - Five Dots - Five Island Territories - Orange Blossom - Caduceus

Obverse: A departure from the heraldic coats of arms found on older issues, this modern series uses a more botanical approach. The coin features an Orange Blossom (the flower of the Citrus sinensis), a subtle nod to the House of Orange-Nassau, the ruling Dutch royal family. The Lettering "NEDERLANDSE ANTILLEN" ("Netherlands Antilles") circles the flower. At bottom right is tiny Mint Mark of a Caduceus (the mint mark for the Royal Dutch Mint in Utrecht) and at bottom left is the Privy Mark of Acting Mint Master, Kees Bruinsma (the Sails of a Ship). Reverse: The reverse is stylized with nautical and geometric themes. The denomination "25 c" and the date "2017" are enclosed within a pearled circle. Surrounding the center are four stylized shells, connected by four groups of five dots. There is a hidden symbolic meaning in the five connecting dots between each shell: The group-of-five motif (dots) symbolizes that, as of 2017, after Aruba's departure, the Netherlands Antilles consisted of only five islands (Bonaire, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius, and Saba). The Netherlands Antilles 2017 Twenty-Five Cent coin is a modern, durable coin from the Dutch Caribbean. However, it was demonetized by March 31, 2025, when the remaining islands transitioned to a new currency system (the Caribbean Guilder) or have already adopted the US Dollar. This 2017 piece is thus a highly collectible "last call" for Netherlands Antilles coinage. Dimensions: Nickel Plated Steel. 20.2 mm. 3.5 g Pickup category timeslot {A}