Owner Comments:
Netherlands East Indies - 1943D 2 1/2G - KM #331 - Mintage: 2,000,000
Obverse: Head of Queen of the Netherlands Wilhelmina I facing left
Obverse Legend: WILHELMINA KONINGIN DER NEDERLANDEN (Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands)
Reverse: Crowned Shield from the coat of arms dividing the denomination
Reverse Legend: MUNT VAN HET KONINGRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN (Coin of the kingdom of the Netherlands)
Edge Lettering: GOD * ZIJ * MET * ONS * (God be with us)
These coins were minted in Denver during World War II for circulation in the Dutch Colony that is now Indonesia. The "D" mint mark appears at a 45 degree angle above and to the right of the date on the reverse. The Palm Tree privy mark also appears at a -45 degree angle above and to the left of the date. The Palm Tree privy make was used to differentiate coins of the Dutch colonies from those intended for circulation in the Netherlands. Coins intended for circulation in the Netherlands carried the Acorn privy mark. These coins were minted by the U.S. Mint because The Netherlands was occupied at the time and could not mint coins for their colonies, and there was a large population of U.S. servicemen in the colonies which caused a shortage of coins in circulation.
The portrait of Queen Wilhelmina used on the Dutch coinage changed as the Queen aged. At the time these coins were struck, the Queen was 63 years old and was living in exile in England. The third style of her left facing portrait dominates the obverse of this coin.
The primary element on the reverse is the central shield from the Dutch coat of arms topped by the Dutch royal crown. The background (field) of the shield is azure which is a dark royal blue that is represented by horizontal lines in engraving. Also part of the background is gold billetty which are vertically oriented gold blocks, twice as long as they are wide, arranged in rows but not directly underneath each other. A hatched pattern of dots is used in engraving to represent the gold color of the billets. The lion is rampant (standing on his back legs), crowned with a coronet, and is also gold with a red tongue and red claws. In his sinister (left front) paw he is holding seven silver arrows bound together with a gold ribbon, representing the seven provinces of the Union of Utrecht. In his dexter (right front) paw he is brandishing a silver sword with a golden hilt representing the determination to defend their liberty.
As of this revision, this coin is tied for the finest known example graded by NGC or PCGS.
Date acquired: 9/17/2010 (Raw coin)
Date graded: 10/28/2015 (Self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 12/5/2018