10 Dutch Guilders Willem III or Wilhelmina | Gold | mixed years

10 Dutch Guilders Willem III and Wilhelmina Gold

Although Willem III. reigned from 1849 to 1890, gold 10 guilder coins were only issued between 1875 and 1889. The first type was issued only in 1875, while the second type was issued from 1876 to 1889 inclusive with a slightly different design.

The obverse of the 1875 issue shows a large portrait of King Willem III. facing right. Above is the inscription (legend) "GOD ZIJ MET ONS". Below is "KONING WILLEM DE DERDE". The two parts of this legend are separated by two stars. The most noticeable obverse difference between the 1875 and later issues is the size of these stars. They are quite small in the 1875 issue, and larger on the subsequent issues. Differences between the obverses are far more noticeable.

Both types of reverse show a crowned lion bearing a sword and arrows on a large shield surmounted by a large crown. At either side is the denomination 10 G. The 1875 reverse has the date 1875 at the top, and the legend "KONINGRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN", running anticlockwise from 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock. This legend is retrograde, i.e. it is read from the outside of the coin rather than the inside. An axe and a caduceus privy marks appear between the shield and the inscription. On the later issues, from 1876, the date appears below the shield, and the legend runs clockwise from 8 o'clock to 4 o'clock. The privy marks appear to the right and left of the date between the shield and the border.