The Merestein was a ship built by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in 1693 in Amsterdam. It was named after Merestein Castle, a historic structure near Heemskerk that had ties to the Boreel family. Jacob Boreel, the castle’s owner and a prominent mayor of Amsterdam in the 1690s, was closely connected to the VOC. His grandfather had been one of the VOC’s founders, and the family maintained significant involvement in its activities.
The ship was typical of VOC vessels at the time, built for long voyages across the oceans. It was about 30 meters long and could carry around 315 tons of goods, soldiers and passengers. The Merestein was designed to transport valuable cargo like spices, textiles, and silver between Europe and the Dutch
The Merestein was a ship built by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in 1693 in Amsterdam. It was named after Merestein Castle, a historic structure near Heemskerk that had ties to the Boreel family. Jacob Boreel, the castle’s owner and a prominent mayor of Amsterdam in the 1690s, was closely connected to the VOC. His grandfather had been one of the VOC’s founders, and the family maintained significant involvement in its activities.
The ship was typical of VOC vessels at the time, built for long voyages across the oceans. It was about 30 meters long and could carry around 315 tons of goods, soldiers and passengers. The Merestein was designed to transport valuable cargo like spices, textiles, and silver between Europe and the Dutch colonies, including the East Indies (modern-day Indonesia). These ships played a vital role in the VOC’s extensive trading network, connecting Europe to Asia and supporting the Dutch Republic’s economy.
The Merestein was a ship built by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in 1693 in Amsterdam. It was named after Merestein Castle, a historic structure near Heemskerk that had ties to the Boreel family. Jacob Boreel, the castle’s owner and a prominent mayor of Amsterdam in the 1690s, was closely connected to the VOC. His grandfather had been one of the VOC’s founders, and the family maintained significant involvement in its activities.
The ship was typical of VOC vessels at the time, built for long voyages across the oceans. It was about 30 meters long and could carry around 315 tons of goods, soldiers and passengers. The Merestein was designed to transport valuable cargo like spices, textiles, and silver between Europe and the Dutch colonies, including the East Indies (modern-day Indonesia). These ships played a vital role in the VOC’s extensive trading network, connecting Europe to Asia and supporting the Dutch Republic’s economy.
colonies, including the East Indies (modern-day Indonesia). These ships played a vital role in the VOC’s extensive trading network, connecting Europe to Asia and supporting the Dutch Republic’s economy.
The Merestein began its service with a maiden voyage in 1694, traveling to the East Indies and returning in 1695. It was later used for two more voyages in 1696 and 1699, commissioned by different VOC chambers. Each chamber managed trade and shipping in different regions, showing how the VOC operated as a decentralized yet coordinated trading company. The Merestein was part of a fleet that symbolized the VOC’s global presence during the late 17th century, supporting trade and colonial efforts across the world.
@wrecktreasure This beautiful coin was recovered from the Merestein shipwreck, which sank off the coast of South Africa in 1702 and comes complete with original certificate. The brown spots of encrustation on the coin are a clear sign of its shipwreck history. Will become available soon on our website. #Merestein #Amsterdammint #Amsterdam #voc #rampjaar #shipwreck #shipwreckcoin #shipwrecktreasure #southafrica #encrustedcoin #wrecktreasure #silvercoin #treasure #silver #silverrider ♬ origineel geluid - wrecktreasure
In October 1701, the Merestein departed from Texel in the Netherlands on a journey to Batavia (present-day Jakarta). However, the voyage was cut short when the ship ran aground near Jutten Island while entering Saldanha Bay on the South African coast. This bay was commonly used as a stop for fresh water and supplies during long voyages. The VOC sent the ships Wezel and Amij to assist the survivors and recover whatever they could from the wreck. The crew of these rescue ships even attempted to retrace the Merestein’s route into the bay to pinpoint the exact location of the wreck. Despite their efforts, the ship’s cargo, along with much of its structure, was lost to the sea.
The Merestein struck underwater reefs and broke apart during the night. Of the more than 200 people aboard, only 99 survived. These survivors swam to the rocky island of Jutten, but their situation remained dire due to the lack of food and water on the small island. The following day, two men built an improvised raft from debris and ventured out to seek help. They succeeded in reaching assistance, leading to a rescue effort.
The Merestein met her fate, taking a significant cargo of silver coins to the ocean floor. These coins, intended for trade in the Dutch East Indies, were stored in chests and were primarily older coins withdrawn from circulation. Despite early attempts to recover the treasure shortly after the wreck, strong currents and challenging sea conditions made the effort unsuccessful. Over time, the site of the wreck became a legend among treasure hunters, sparking renewed interest centuries later.
In the 1970s, technological advancements made deeper and more precise diving possible, allowing modern explorers to locate remnants of the Merestein. Among the scattered wreckage, divers found clusters of coins embedded in lime and iron deposits on the seabed. Many coins were recovered from the wreck, offering valuable insight
into the monetary history of the time. Local divers, taking advantage of salvage permits, further expanded the collection, with some even profiting significantly from their finds. The coins were in varying conditions, with some heavily corroded while others were remarkably well-preserved due to protection in clusters.
The recovered coins included a variety of denominations. Most were silver ducatoons from the 17th century, which made up the bulk of the find. These were complemented by a smaller number of Dutch shillings and other silver coins, including examples from the Spanish Netherlands. In total, approximately 15,000 coins were brought to the surface, making this one of the largest known recoveries of VOC-era shipwreck currency.
Be sure to check out our TikTok for more stories like this, or our shop for Merestein treasures!
The Merestein met her fate, taking a significant cargo of silver coins to the ocean floor. These coins, intended for trade in the Dutch East Indies, were stored in chests and were primarily older coins withdrawn from circulation. Despite early attempts to recover the treasure shortly after the wreck, strong currents and challenging sea conditions made the effort unsuccessful. Over time, the site of the wreck became a legend among treasure hunters, sparking renewed interest centuries later.
In the 1970s, technological advancements made deeper and more precise diving possible, allowing modern explorers to locate remnants of the Merestein. Among the scattered wreckage, divers found clusters of coins embedded in lime and iron deposits on the seabed. Many coins were recovered from the wreck, offering valuable insight into the monetary history of the time. Local divers, taking advantage of salvage permits, further expanded the collection, with some even profiting significantly from their finds. The coins were in varying conditions, with some heavily corroded while others were remarkably well-preserved due to protection in clusters.
The recovered coins included a variety of denominations. Most were silver ducatoons from the 17th century, which made up the bulk of the find. These were complemented by a smaller number of Dutch shillings and other silver coins, including examples from the Spanish Netherlands. In total, approximately 15,000 coins were brought to the surface, making this one of the largest known recoveries of VOC-era shipwreck currency.
Be sure to check out our TikTok for more stories like this, or our shop for Merestein treasures!
One Response
Great article. very informative. thanks!