Molendam is one of the few towns in Holland that has “mintage rights”; this makes it as proud as a peacock. The city Master of the Mint himself, Hieronymus Scherff van Andel, personally appointed by Queen Regent Emma is no less proud. His name is not just any name: Hieronymus belongs to the aristocracy. Old aristocracy. Impoverished aristocracy. For generations his family lived on a beautiful estate in Brabant, until his ancestor, Adrianus, married a “bad” woman who spent the family’s entire fortune in the space of one marriage. Without a title the family accepted its lot in life and realized that it would have to earn its own bread. Hieronymus too. He only has the name to remind him of the good times, even though he is close friends with mayor Wolkers van Avezaath and the master of the weighhouse, Jacobus van Cromvoirt, with whom he enjoys “high level” discussions during long winter evenings. 

Fortunately, because of his profession money still plays a major role in his life. As Master of the Mint he is responsible for Molendam’s and the county of Holland’s cash flow. He was recently instructed to replace the head of Princess Wilhelmina with hair loose for an image of the teenage princess with her hair up. Together with his mint inspector, Jan van Swaelmen, he has worked out the ideal weight and content, they have instructed a stamp cutter to make a design and they have set the minters to work at the rolling mill producing the first guilders.  Local traders will soon be exchanging their old coins for shiny new ones. It used to take years before a new coin could be introduced, but since the woodscrews have been replaced by steam engines it can be done very quickly.

He intends to issue the first coin to the princess herself and after her Madelief Wolkers van Avezaath, the mayor’s wife, will receive an official example. This seems fitting to him. And then the production of cents:  half cents, five cents, ten cents and twenty-five cents, will really get going. This gives Hieronymus the feeling that like his ancestors before him he can really let the money roll.