Dutch East India Company Coin Pendant

Coin: Bronze Duit
Obverse: VoC Monogram
Reverse: Dutch coat of arms
Date: 1735
Bezel: Sterling Silver
Weight:  5 g
Diameter: 24 mm / .94 in

Description

This item is an authentic Dutch East India Company coin, placed in a handmade bezel of sterling silver. There is only 1 of this item; you will receive the exact pendant shown in the photos.  

History of the Artifact

These copper duit coins were issued by the Dutch East India Company (VOC), one of history’s most powerful trading entities, which controlled vast portions of global trade during the 17th and 18th centuries. The coins, minted in VOC-controlled locations such as Batavia (modern-day Jakarta), Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka), and the Cape of Good Hope, feature the distinctive VOC monogram and the date of minting on the obverse, with the Dutch coat of arms on the reverse. Low in denomination, they were widely circulated within VOC territories and used extensively in international trade.

The Dutch East India Company was founded in 1602 with the goal of monopolizing trade between the Dutch Republic and the resource-rich East Indies, which included parts of modern Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and China. With its vast fleet and private army, the VOC not only dominated trade routes but also established settlements, controlled local economies, and played a significant role in the colonization of the East Indies.

At its peak, the VOC was one of the most influential commercial entities in history, shaping global trade and European expansion. However, its dominance began to wane in the 18th century as competing powers like Britain and France rose to challenge its monopoly. By 1799, the VOC was dissolved, leaving behind a legacy of cultural and economic impact on both the East Indies and Europe.

Ancient Artifacts guarantees the Authenticity of items sold through a three layer system of protection: 

1. Ancient Artifacts exclusively sources artifacts from trusted and reputable antique distributors, many of whom have been selling Artifacts for decades.  
2. Next, the Artifact is inspected by an expert team member, who is professionally trained in counterfeit detection After the artifact passes inspection, the Certificate of Authenticity is signed and the Artifact is packaged. 
3. Finally, Ancient Artifacts gives an additional layer of protection by promising a full refund with no questions asked, in the extremely unlikely event that a counterfeit slips through our vetting process.

You will receive the exact coin pendant shown in the photos.

Coins issued by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) are still obtainable today because the VOC operated as a vast maritime empire from the early 17th to the late 18th century, striking large amounts of coinage to support trade across Asia, Africa, and the Dutch colonies. The company minted its own silver and copper coins—such as stuivers, doits, and ducatons—marked with the VOC monogram, often at mints in the Netherlands and colonial outposts like Batavia (modern-day Jakarta). These coins circulated widely in port cities and trading centers across the Indian Ocean and East Asia.

Many VOC coins have been recovered from shipwrecks, particularly in Southeast Asian waters, as well as from archaeological sites in former trading colonies and forts. Others survived through local circulation long after the company dissolved in 1799. In the modern era, salvage operations and antiquities dealers brought large numbers of these coins into the collector market, especially during the 20th century. Their distinct markings, historical connections to global commerce, and relatively high survival rate make VOC coins both collectible and historically meaningful.