1/2 Ducaton Antwerp 1653

Here we have a 1653 ½ ducaton from the Spanish Netherlands, minted at the Antwerp mint. This silver coin had already circulated for about half a century before it found its way aboard the Dutch East Indiaman Merestein, which helps explain its worn condition. Despite the wear, the coin retains a highly appealing blue-toned luster, particularly striking on the obverse. The reverse also displays traces of this luster, along with areas of maritime encrustation—physical evidence of the coin’s shipwreck history.