Short answer
A gold 10 gulden is worth at least the melt value of approximately 6.048 grams of fine gold. In practice, the price offered by dealers is often lower than the current gold price. Rare dates and high-quality examples, however, can achieve auction prices reaching tens of thousands of euros.
Current gold price and indicative melt value
The current gold price shown below provides an indication of the melt value. This is not a fixed selling price and may differ from dealer offers and auction results.
What is meant by a gold 10 gulden?
The term “gold 10 gulden” refers to Dutch 10-gulden gold coins struck during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These coins were issued with fixed technical specifications and form an important part of Dutch numismatic history.
In practice, most gold 10 gulden coins date from the reign of King Willem I and later periods. Not every gold 10 gulden is rare. Many dates are relatively common and are mainly traded based on their gold content.
How is the value of a gold 10 gulden determined?
The value of a gold 10 gulden can be divided into three closely related levels:
- Melt value
- Dealer price
- Auction value
Melt value: the gold component
A gold 10 gulden weighs 6.72 grams and is struck in 900/1000 fine gold, corresponding to approximately 6.048 grams of pure gold.
The melt value is calculated by multiplying this fine gold content by the current gold price per gram. This represents a theoretical minimum value, not a guaranteed selling price.
The current gold price is not the same as the dealer price
A common misconception is that a gold 10 gulden always sells exactly at the gold price. In reality, this is rarely the case.
The price offered by dealers may be lower than the current gold price due to:
- buying and processing margins
- differences between paper gold prices and physical trading
- market liquidity and risk
- the fact that common gold 10 gulden coins are often bought as bulk gold
As a result, the dealer price can differ from the calculated melt value, even when the coin is undamaged.
When does collector or auction value arise?
A gold 10 gulden acquires genuine numismatic value when it is valued for more than its gold content alone. This applies in cases of:
- exceptionally rare dates
- specific types or varieties, such as clear overstrikes
- high quality, with sharp detail and original surfaces
- a well-defined position within a specialised collecting field
In such cases, the gold price plays only a secondary role.
Highest auction results for gold 10 gulden coins at Schulman
The following auction results illustrate how large the gap can be between melt value and auction value.
10 Gulden 1828 – Willem I
Auction result: €110,000
Auction: Selection Auction 375 (April 2023)
The gold 10 gulden dated 1828 is regarded as the rarest gold 10 gulden of the reign of Willem I. This Type I a issue (1818–1837), struck in Utrecht with torch and caduceus mintmarks, is exceptionally scarce in collecting practice.
Despite a seemingly moderate original mintage, this date has appeared only twice in Schulman sales since 1880 and is absent from the collections of J. Berkman, Rijnbende and Virgil M. Brand.
10 Gulden 1810 – Louis Napoleon
Auction result: €75,000
This gold 10 gulden was struck during the French period under Louis Napoleon, King of Holland. Its historical context, combined with limited availability and sustained international demand, makes it one of the most sought-after Dutch gold coins.
What do these results tell us about the value of a gold 10 gulden?
These examples demonstrate that:
- the gold price provides only a baseline
- the dealer price may differ from that baseline
- the auction price is determined by rarity, quality and demand
For that reason, the question “What is a gold 10 gulden worth?” can only be answered by looking at the specific coin.
