Publication
The secret of "de Vallenberg"

Summary:
A counterfeit coiners-place from the 16th century.
By H.W. Jacobi
Director of the museum "the royal numismatic cabinet"
In the summer of 1985 some members of SOK found tools used by counterfeit-coiners more then 400 years ago. They found some copper (false) coins, some copper blanks and in a hole in the ground wrapped in cloth some coin-dies. The find was transferred to the museum "the royal numismatic cabinet". They were cleaned and studied.
The find consists of 13 dies (3 under dies and 10 upper-dies), some scissel, an iron head of a flattening hammer, an iron candle holder, 16 copper coins, 25 blanks and 15 irregular shaped copper plates. all the ingredient of a (counterfeit) mint are present. As the copper blanks, coins and plates were found spread over 1 square meter, we can be sure this is the actual place where the coining took place.
The hammerhead weights 1000 gram. This is the correct weight for coining this size of coins.
The underdies have a pointed end, so they can be placed in a wooden log.

The coins made were "Hollandse Oorden". The real were made in Dordrecht by the Dutch mint. These coins were never used in Limburg, so they were made for export to Holland. The copied coins were dutch coins from the period 1574-1577. Many different counterfeit coins of this type are known. The coin was made to pay for the dutch war expenses against the spanish. The quality was poor, so falsifying was easy. In 1577 the quality of coining improved, so falsifying was made more difficult.
The coins found in de Vallenberg are of poor quality. Two bear the date 1569, 4 have 1576 and 5 have 1577 on the coin. From five the date is not visible. The date 1569 is remarkable, as the real coins were only produced from 1574 onward. That obviously was no problem to the coiners.

Published:
1992

Summary made by:
Joep Orbons, June 1992

This information can be used with reference to its author and source.
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Last modified: 04/11/96