Dutch Guilder - Banknotes

Banknotes

Between 1814 and 1838, the Netherlands Bank issued notes in denominations of 25, 40, 60, 80, 100, 200, 300, 500 and 1000 guilders. These were followed, from 1846 by state notes (muntbiljetten) in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000 guilders, with the 10 and 50 guilders issued until 1914.

In 1904, the Netherlands Bank recommenced the issuance of paper money. By 1911, it was issuing notes for 10, 25, 40, 60, 100, 200, 300 and 1000 guilders. In 1914, because of silver shortage for minting, the government introduced silver certificates (zilverbonnen) for 1, 2½ and 5 guilder. Although the 5 guilder were only issued that year, the 1 guilder notes continued until 1920 and the 2½ guilder until 1927.

In 1926, the Netherlands Bank introduced 20 guilder notes, followed by 50 guilder in 1929 and 500 guilder in 1930. These introductions followed the cessation of production of the unusual 40, 60 and 300 guilder notes during the 1920s.

In 1938, silver notes were reintroduced for 1 and 2½ guilders. During World War II, the Netherlands Bank continued to issue paper money, although there were some design changes, most notably, the replacement of a portrait of Queen Emma by a Rembrandt portrait on the 10 guilder note. The Allies printed state notes dated 1943 for use following liberation. These were in denominations of 1, 2½, 10, 25, 50 and 100 guilders. More state notes were issued for 1 and 2½ guilders in 1945 and 1949.

Following the war, the Netherlands Bank introduced notes for 10, 20, 25, 50, 100 and 1000 guilders. The last 20 guilder notes were dated 1955, whilst 5 guilder notes were introduced in 1966 (replaced by coins in 1987) and 250 guilder in 1985.

At the time of withdrawal, the following denominations of banknotes were circulating:

• ƒ10 - tientje ("little ten", see Diminutive), joet
• ƒ25 - geeltje (yellow one)
• ƒ50 - zonnebloem (sunflower)
• ƒ100 - honderdje, meier / later: snip (common Snipe)
• ƒ250 - vuurtoren (lighthouse)
• ƒ1000 - duizendje, (rooie) rug (red back) / rooi(tj)e

At the time of withdrawal, all but the 50 and 250 guilder notes had been issued in a new series that was the same colour as the older, long-serving notes but with a mostly abstract pattern, featuring a different bird for each denomination.

Persons depicted on older banknotes were:

• ƒ5 - poet Joost van den Vondel (until 1988, when the note was replaced by a ƒ 5 coin)
• ƒ10 - painter Frans Hals
• ƒ25 - composer Jan Petersz. Sweelinck
• ƒ100 - admiral Michiel de Ruyter (This being the most profitable note to counterfeit it was first replaced by a note featuring the common snipe. This note was of a similar design as the newly introduced 50 and 250 guilder notes; and was again replaced by an abstract design in the last series of guilder notes)
• ƒ1000 - philosopher Baruch de Spinoza

These 1970s "face"-notes and the 80's ƒ50 (sunflower), ƒ100 (snipe) and ƒ250 (lighthouse) were designed by R.D.E. Oxenaar. Eventually all faces were to be replaced by abstracts, designed by Jaap Drupsteen, (see above).