Expert: Brad Swain - 3/27/2010

Question
I have a 1959 coin and am curious about its value and history.

It says Juliana Koningin Der Nederlanden on one side with a ladies portrait. On the other side it has crown over a crest with a lion wearing a crown and holding a sword. it says 2 1/2 on the left and has a large G on the right. the edge is engraved with Z IJ , MET , ONS , GOD. Its slightly larger then a half dollar.
It has tarnish which leads me to believe it is Silver but has very little wear and is in excellent condition. Thank you for any information you can tell me about it.

Answer
Hi Casey, There were 7.2 million of these Dutch 2-1/2 Gulden coins minted that year in Utrecht featuring Queen Juliana (1948-80). It contains .3472 of an ounce of silver. Collector value may be worth about $6-$7 depending on amount of wear and collector demand. The edge translates to God is With Us.
Current gold and silver values: http://www.kitco.com/market/ .
You might try Ebay.com for similar pieces for comparison.  
You might also try a library for a copy of the Standard Catalog of World Coins for pictures, values and lots more interesting info.
Brad