Medal - Wilhelmina Koningin der Nederlanden

Reverse

The crowned coat of arms of the Netherlands with the beginning year of her reign: 1890, the coat of arms of the last year of her reign: 1948. The 4 busts of Wilhelmina, all depicted facing left. The round flower stems suggest the shape of the coins on which the busts were once depicted.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
• WILHELMINA KONINGIN DER NEDERLANDEN •
1890 1948

Edge

Reeded

Comment

Wilhelmina (31 August 1880 – 28 November 1962) is the only child from the marriage of King Willem III of the Netherlands and Queen Emma. Because her father died on 23 November 1890, Wilhelmina II became Queen of the Netherlands at the age of ten, on 23 November 1890. Her mother was Queen Regent until her eighteenth birthday.

Queen Wilhelmina is remembered by many as the steadfast queen who, from her exile in London during the Second World War, gave the Dutch people hope with her radio messages via Radio Oranje. After a term of office of 50 years (and a kingship of 58 years), she abdicated in September 1948 in favor of her daughter Juliana. Such an abdication was highly unusual until then, normally the throne only passes after the death of the monarch. In 2023, this abdication will have been 75 years ago. With this special issue we commemorate this special moment in Dutch history.

Because Wilhelmina has been Queen of the Netherlands for so long and the portrait of the monarch depicted on Dutch coinage must remain somewhat up-to-date, four different portraits of Wilhelmina have been made for the coinage over the years. These are all depicted on this special commemorative issue. The first portrait from 1891 is of Wilhelmina as a ten-year-old girl with long, loose hair, the second portrait from 1898 is the so-called inauguration portrait in which Wilhelmina is depicted as a lady wearing a tiara, then from 1910 a portrait in which Wilhelmina is depicted as an adult monarch, strong and powerful,

Finally, from 1922 onwards, a portrait of Wilhelmina with her hair up as an experienced queen who fulfils her role with verve.

Price

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