Groningen Silver Stiver

The most striking fact about the Groningen Silver Stiver is that it was often struck on planchets made from melted-down Spanish reales, a practical reuse of plunder from the Eighty Years' War.

This coin, issued by the Province of Groningen from 1594 onward, featured simple designs like the provincial arms or a lion, depending on the year. Minters in Groningen prioritized local needs over uniformity, which meant variations in weight and purity.

We don't know exact mintage figures for most years; records were spotty even then. What survives shows these stivers circulated widely in daily trade, from market stalls to port dealings.

Silver content varied, sometimes dipping below standards, which irked merchants but kept the economy humming. As for jokes, calling it the Dutch equivalent of pocket change might understate its role, but there you have it.