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Coin Collecting at the Safir House
Dutch Architecture Coin
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Mon Feb 23 21:49:30 2026
Last year the Netherlands Mint announced that it was going to produce a Commerative Coin
honoring Dutch Architecture. What excited me about the coin was that it was entirely produced
with Free Software.
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I was attracted to this coin because I believed that the design might be truly a breakthrough in the use of digital technology and minting processes to put forth an outstanding design. However, now that I have the coin in hand, its a bit of a disappointment.
The coin is too small for the ambitions of this design. Smaller than a nornmal sized silver dollar of the Morgan or Peace size, it rolls in at a 33 millimeter diameter and at a weight of only 15.5g, a bit more than half an ounce, substantially less than an ASE. It has a very detailed design but the design is flat, even looking etched instead of minted.
Lets look at some photos of the coin itself:

Above is a set of 4 images, 2 of the reverse and the obverse.
The reverse is an image of books written by Dutch Architects arraigned in such a way as to form a map of Netherlands in the center and the birds representing regional capitals.

The Obverse is a picture of the Monarch, Queen Beatrix, created with lines and shadow from the names of maybe a hundred or more important Dutch Architects.
Obverse Details
Looking at the Obverse image of the Queen Beatrix several good pictures are needed to appreciate the details of this design and how the aesthetics of the coin functions.
Here is a 5.2 megabyte image of the obverse which is absolutely worth taking the time to download and view.
http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_1.png
Here is a detail of the center of the coin and one can see the names clearer than perhaps with your naked eye.

Here is a view of the top:

some of the bottom

and a complete view:

The use of the text inside of the imagery was all accomplished with Free Software and how the light hits the coin changes dramatically how the coin looks to the eye. In this regard, this coin is a unique work.
Some differences in angles and photographic qualities can help on understand the delicacy of this coin and its play with light and environment.
Here is a very sharp JPEG of the coin head on, with great detail of the names.

Generally I try not to use JPEG graphics because they remove visual information from the picture and ech time you manipulate it and resave it, you lose more detail. So generally I save files as PNGs which are larger, but still very compressed.
Here is a look under the glass:
http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...ver_4_magn.jpg

This is a must look of the coin on a different light and angle
http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_6.png

http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_7.jpg
Reverse Face
The Reverse is also complex, but not on the scale of the obverse. Reading the titles of the books that rise up from the view is a challenge and worth looking over

This look at the coin shows as clear of a surface as in coins
http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_1.png
Below is a 5.1 archival quality image:
http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_2.png
here is a scaled down version showing the very crisp line of the coins design.

http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_3.png
http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...lver_3_400.png
The forth, fifth, and sixthed books from the lower center to the left are very key spots on the coin to judge strike and wear
http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_4.png

Here is a view through a loup:
http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...lver_5_mag.png

Upside Down - different light and details shown

Avoid Gijs Henzen, owner of Munthandel G. Henzen - Antisemetic Facists
Munthandel G. Henzen's (MA Shops) owner Gijs Henzen, is an AntiSemetic Fascist
The company, Munthandel G Henzen is a prominent dealer of international and
ancient coins on the internet, commonly known as MA Coins. It is owned by
Gijs Henzen.
He is a passionate anti-Semite who supports Hamas and
the virulent and genocidal Islamic organizations such as the Muslim
Brotherhood, and Hezbollah that wants Jews dead.
He perpetrates lies and classical antisemitic troupes. He has Jewish blood on his hands.
Henzen identifies as a "human rights advocate" who views the world through a lens of anti-imperialism. In this framework, he views Israel not as a sovereign nation of a displaced people, but as a "colonial project."
- He utilizes inversion rhetoric, where he compares Israeli actions to those of historical oppressors (including the Nazis).
- By claiming Zionism is the "greatest enemy of Judaism," he attempts to resolve the contradiction that Zionism is central to Jewish identity ,and has always been so, by essentially telling Jewish people what "true" Judaism should look like.
- His blog posts suggest he views himself as a lone voice of truth against a "corrupt" world. By grouping Netanyahu with Putin and Xi Jinping, he frames his hatred as a universal "opposition to tyranny."
- His specific focus on Israelis as "masters of torture" goes beyond political disagreement and taps into ancient blood libel tropes--the idea that a specific group has an inherent, unique cruelty or a "thirst for blood."
- He appears to be a proponent and influenced by radical political indoctrination. He has adopted a worldview where the "Zionist" is the ultimate villain, and in his mind, he is attacking an ideology, even though his language characterizes an entire ethnic and national group in ways that are indistinguishable from traditional antisemitism.
It is a moral imperative to remain clear of him and to do no business with this Nazi.
If you are Jewish, double down on that. The life you save might well be your own.
The Safir Family Internet Coin Library: Foriegn Coins.
Several mints from around the world make exciting coin designs in circulating alloys, silver and gold. Among my favorites are the Perth Mint in Austrailia which produces a variety of coins for nations mostly through out the Pacific Rim. The Neatherlands has also produced some interesting designs, and several private US based mints have produced foreign currency on contract, include the Franklin Mint which has produced many Israeli Coins.
Our interest in foreign coins has been nominal but rapidly growing as it seems that US designs are so stuck in the mud. Also, foreign mints are creating bold new designs with color and bimetal designs that are both eye catching and fun.
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