Lot 403
Netherlands, Murder of the de Witt Brothers 1672. Silver struck Medal ND, by P. Avry.

Ancient, British & World Coins| C26002
Auction: 30 March 2026 at 10:30 GMT
Description
Facing draped busts, IOHANNES DE WITT. NAT. A. 1625 – CORNELIVS DE WITT. NAT. A. 1623. Scroll below: HIC ARMIS MAXIMVS ILLE TOGA, rev. The corpses of the two brothers shredded to pieces by a monster representing the furious mob of people, NUNC REDEUNTANIMIS INGENTIA CONSULIS ACTA ET FORMIDATI SCEPTRIS ORACLA MINISTRI; in exergue NOBILE PAR FRATERVM SAEVO FVROR ORE TRVCIDAT. XX AVCVSTI. Plain edge. 72mm., 107.28gm. (Van Loon-III-87.1 (French ed. 81.1), Saunders/Vanhoudt 1672.41). Good Extremely Fine, patinated with underlying brilliance, very attractive.
Footnote
On August 20, 1672, Johan de Witt, the Grand Pensionary of Holland, and his brother Cornelis were murdered by a mob in The Hague near the Gevangenpoort, where Cornelis had been imprisoned on false charges of treason. Amidst the chaos of the "Rampjaar" (Disaster Year), in which the Dutch Republic faced simultaneous invasions by France, England, and others, the brothers were scapegoated for military failures and the decline of the republic's defence. Their deaths, encouraged by Orangist factions loyal to William of Orange, marked the collapse of the Dutch republican regime and the resurgence of monarchical power.

