We are here concerned only with that of the Northern or United or Dutch Provinces, as being of more commercial interest in European history of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
By Article 12 of the Union, each of the seven United Provinces was bound to conformity in the course or tariffing of its money, while left free to determine the species and mere numismatic detail of the coins.
The various tariffs therefore, already described, contain the Mint law as applied to the United Provinces; Page 349 but it was not until 1606 that a serious attempt at systematisation was made. By the great plakkaat of 21st March 1606, completed by that of 6th July 1610, a new and very full tariff was imposed; an important regulation was made, declaring all coins which lacked more than 1 1⁄2 engels over and above the remedy, to be taken as bullion and not current as coin, and the indenture details of the gold coins were fixed, as it proved, throughout the life of the Republic.
The gold rijder and the gold ducat were prescribed as follows:—
GOLD RIJDER. Weight (gross), 207.2 azen (= 9.95 grs.). Weight (of fine gold), 187.77 azen (= 9.11 grs.). Standard, 22 carat (= .9167).