Northern Netherlands

The Northern Netherlands were the seven northern provinces that seceded from Spain and together formed the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, the beginning of the present-day Netherlands. The foundation was laid on January 23, 1579, with the alliance called the 'Union of Utrecht'.

Coinage was extremely decentralized. Every province, as well as many cities, had a mint and struck its own coins. Consequently, an enormous variety of means of payment circulated.