Expert: Jim Lawniczak - 10/30/2008

Question
I have an obsession with foreign money and I recently came across this coin...from what I've read on this site I believe it is Dutch.??

On one side it has a lady's face looking to the left and it says vertically next to her, "BEATRIX KONINGIN DER NEDERLANDEN" On the oppisite side it has 5 thin vertical stripes and a thicker horizontal stripe crossing through the vertical ones. It says 5 ct 1985.

Could you please tell me where it's from and how much it is worth there and here? I traded someone a penny for it, but now I realize that that probably wasn't very fair! haha. Thank you!

Answer
April, yes, Beatrix was the queen of the Netherlands -- your coin is indeed Dutch.  The Dutch are now on the Euro, but I think that their banks will still honor old Dutch money.  If I remember correctly, the Dutch money was worth just a little less than German, so that your "5" cent piece was probably worth somewhat less than a U.S. nickel, maybe 3 cents or so.  So you made a great trade, Jim