VOC Copper Duit | 1790 | Dutch East India Company

This original copper VOC duit from 1790 is a magnificent piece of maritime and trade history from the era of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). The obverse displays the iconic, intertwined VOC monogram, flanked by two small stars and the year 1790 beneath. These coins were minted for use in the overseas VOC territories and served for centuries as an indispensable medium of exchange within the Company's global trade network.

The VOC (1602–1799) is considered the world's first multinational corporation and was for a long time one of the most powerful trading organizations. It controlled the spice trade and maintained trade routes between Europe and Asia. To support the economy in its colonies, the VOC minted its own coins, including these copper duits, which circulated primarily in the Dutch East Indies (mainly Java).

Duits like this are a tangible reminder of the VOC's trade voyages, ships, forts, and trading posts. Each coin bears the traces of a glorious period, during which the VOC had an unprecedented influence on global trade.

• Publisher: Dutch East India Company (VOC)

• Material: Copper

• Denomination: Duit

• Dating: 1790

• Obverse: VOC monogram, two stars, year

• Reverse: Provincial coat of arms: Utrecht

• Diameter: approx. 21–22 mm (standard for VOC duits)

• Condition: Carefully preserved, with a beautiful even patina suitable for its age