Roermond, a mint town and a municipality in the province of Limburg, the Netherlands. By the early 13th century, Roermond
was already part of Gelre and eventually became the capital of the Overkwartier region of Gelre. During the Eighty Years’
War, Roermond fell into the hands of Frederick Henry in 1632, but in September 1637 it was conquered by the troops of Cardinal-Infante
Don Ferdinand of Austria and remained under Spanish rule until 1713 and under Austrian rule until 1794. Under the Dukes of
Gelre, feudal coinage took place in Roermond during the period from around 1340 to around 1400 (Gelderland, feudal period).
In 1472, the city received several privileges from Duke Arnold (1423–1465 and 1471–1473), in exchange for a loan of 600 Rhenish
guilders, including the right to mint small change, not worth more than a quarter of a Cologne white penny, at its own expense.
This right remained in force until the loan was repaid. The proceeds from this municipal coinage were to be used for the maintenance
of the ‘Moederkerke’ and the flood defences along the Roer and Meuse rivers. However, no coins from the period 1472–1492 have
survived that can be attributed with certainty to Roermond. Arnold’s successor, Karel van Egmond (1473–1538), granted rights
similar to those of 1472 in 1492, 1505 and 1525. During the period from 1492 to 1679, the town demonstrably minted coins,
albeit with long interruptions, on the basis of its 1492 privilege, to which no time limit was attached. Whilst in 1492 this
concerned only ‘small change’ (in practice interpreted as being no more valuable than a horse blanket worth 1½ stuivers),
in 1505 and 1525 the Duke even permitted the city, for a specified period, to mint all types of gold and silver coins, provided
they were minted in the Duke’s name and in accordance with the instructions applicable to ducal coinage. On the basis of the
privilege of 1525, clemmerguldens and silver rijders (snaphanen) were minted. There is no reason to regard Gelderland coins
from the reign of Charles of Egmond, featuring lilies as punctuation, as having been minted at Roermond, as has sometimes
been assumed. From 1543 onwards, Roermond minted only small change: peerdekens, stuivers and smaller denominations in silver,
and later also copper coins. These bore either the name and coat of arms of the sovereign, or of the town, or of both. The
last coinage took place in 1679.
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