Post by evm111 on Jul 18, 2005 20:00:45 GMT -5
Hello Group,
Here is a tentative, new secessionist-type entry, similar to the previously listed Friuli and Flanders. Interesting how they all begin with "f"!
FRIESLAND: This is a region of northern Europe, situated along the southeastern coasts of the North Sea (between the Scheldt and Weser rivers). Also known as Frisia (Fryslân in the Frisian language), it extends from the northeastern Netherlands across northern Germany to southwestern Denmark. A portion of the area, also called Friesland, is a northern Dutch province. The Frisians (or Frieslanders) are a Germanic people. Their language, which differs considerably from Dutch, is still spoken by a sizable part of the population.
I learned, from Mr. Chaim Shiboleth, that a handful of coins have been issued in the name of Friesland. First, there is a simple 1982 1 Daalder made of silver; it is “a private issue by Lylke Jansma (and minted in Schoonhoven) reading ‘leaver dea as slaaf’ = ‘rather dead than a slave’, relating to the 1435 battle at Warns, where Friesland kept its autonomy.” It also features the “plompeblad” leaf, which is the predominant Frisian symbol. Secondly, there is a well-made, 4-coin set from 1983, all silver-plated. The obverse of each token shows a dagger, and their reverse shows the “plompeblad” and the skûtsje (a Frisian type of sailing boat). “Both sides have the local saying ‘Buter, brea en griene tsiis’, literally ‘Butter, Bread and Green Cheese’ (short for ‘Buter, brea en griene tsiis, hwa't dat net sizze kin is gjin oprjuchte Fries’ translated: Anyone who can't say ‘butter, bread and green cheese’ is not a real Frisian. This sentence was used by ‘Grote Pier’, a 16th century Frisian freedom-fighter and rebel king, the same way the word ‘Shibbolet’ was used in the Bible by Gideon, to differentiate between friend and foe)...This set had an extra token added that was meant as a mint-medal or to be used as jewelry, showing your colours for ‘the cause’, and three beautiful banknotes that could be used as vouchers at a local restaurant.” The bonus medal bears no denomination. I purchased the '82 piece, the '83 1/2 Daalder, and the '83 medalet from Mr. Peter Geelen.
There is also a set of 6 coins minted in 1985 by the Royal Dutch Mint, per order of “the now defunct ‘Frisian Mint’ (Fryske Muntsentrale)”. These were “made for the ‘1st Small Olympic Games’ for cultural and language minorities which were held in Friesland that year for the first time.” The 10 Kroan piece is made of gold, but the other five are made of different metals, and could be used during the event. “These coins all show the national symbols of the oakleaf and ‘plompeblad’.”
Mr. Shiboleth believes that the Fryslân pieces, or at least the earlier ones, may have been minted for purposes of promoting autonomy. For one, their “symbolism is undoubtedly autonomist: the slogans of the 1982 and 1983 coins both relate directly to Frisian nationalism.” The second reason has to do with information he received a few years ago from a retired coin-seller in the Hague; the gentleman told him that “the coins were made in the '80's at a period when the autonomy status of Friesland and the Frisian language was an issue in the Netherlands.”
Here is a tentative, new secessionist-type entry, similar to the previously listed Friuli and Flanders. Interesting how they all begin with "f"!
FRIESLAND: This is a region of northern Europe, situated along the southeastern coasts of the North Sea (between the Scheldt and Weser rivers). Also known as Frisia (Fryslân in the Frisian language), it extends from the northeastern Netherlands across northern Germany to southwestern Denmark. A portion of the area, also called Friesland, is a northern Dutch province. The Frisians (or Frieslanders) are a Germanic people. Their language, which differs considerably from Dutch, is still spoken by a sizable part of the population.
I learned, from Mr. Chaim Shiboleth, that a handful of coins have been issued in the name of Friesland. First, there is a simple 1982 1 Daalder made of silver; it is “a private issue by Lylke Jansma (and minted in Schoonhoven) reading ‘leaver dea as slaaf’ = ‘rather dead than a slave’, relating to the 1435 battle at Warns, where Friesland kept its autonomy.” It also features the “plompeblad” leaf, which is the predominant Frisian symbol. Secondly, there is a well-made, 4-coin set from 1983, all silver-plated. The obverse of each token shows a dagger, and their reverse shows the “plompeblad” and the skûtsje (a Frisian type of sailing boat). “Both sides have the local saying ‘Buter, brea en griene tsiis’, literally ‘Butter, Bread and Green Cheese’ (short for ‘Buter, brea en griene tsiis, hwa't dat net sizze kin is gjin oprjuchte Fries’ translated: Anyone who can't say ‘butter, bread and green cheese’ is not a real Frisian. This sentence was used by ‘Grote Pier’, a 16th century Frisian freedom-fighter and rebel king, the same way the word ‘Shibbolet’ was used in the Bible by Gideon, to differentiate between friend and foe)...This set had an extra token added that was meant as a mint-medal or to be used as jewelry, showing your colours for ‘the cause’, and three beautiful banknotes that could be used as vouchers at a local restaurant.” The bonus medal bears no denomination. I purchased the '82 piece, the '83 1/2 Daalder, and the '83 medalet from Mr. Peter Geelen.
There is also a set of 6 coins minted in 1985 by the Royal Dutch Mint, per order of “the now defunct ‘Frisian Mint’ (Fryske Muntsentrale)”. These were “made for the ‘1st Small Olympic Games’ for cultural and language minorities which were held in Friesland that year for the first time.” The 10 Kroan piece is made of gold, but the other five are made of different metals, and could be used during the event. “These coins all show the national symbols of the oakleaf and ‘plompeblad’.”
Mr. Shiboleth believes that the Fryslân pieces, or at least the earlier ones, may have been minted for purposes of promoting autonomy. For one, their “symbolism is undoubtedly autonomist: the slogans of the 1982 and 1983 coins both relate directly to Frisian nationalism.” The second reason has to do with information he received a few years ago from a retired coin-seller in the Hague; the gentleman told him that “the coins were made in the '80's at a period when the autonomy status of Friesland and the Frisian language was an issue in the Netherlands.”