American Colonial Historical Medals (Betts Medals)
1781 Escape of Dutch Fleet

Owner Comments:

Betts-574 Silver. This medal was struck to commemorate the first of many heroic acts of the fourth Anglo-Dutch War. This conflict came about in part from the American Revolution. Britian declared war on the Netherlands in late 1780, due to the continued claims of Dutch neutrality while assisting the American cause. Jacob Van Der Wint raced his ship to meet the Dutch fishing fleet in the North Sea to tell them of the declaration of war before they were at risk of attack. The obverse of this medal is Wint’s cutter. The reverse is translated by Betts as follows “ Dec. 29, 1780, sailed from Vlaarding in order to communicate the state of war to the fleet, and to recall the same; safely returned Jan. 11, 1781.