Craftsmanship of the Diamond worker recorded in new medal

In the series of medals related to Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Netherlands, a second medal was issued on 29 October, that of the Craftsmanship of the Diamond worker. That happened during a festive gathering in the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam where until 1 March 2020 the exhibition 'Amsterdam Diamond City' can be seen. The medal is the award for the initiative of diamond workers Pauline Willemse and Marie-Louise Bartels who nominated the craft on behalf of Royal Coster Diamonds and GASSAN Diamonds in 2013 for the Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory of the Netherlands.

Penning Ambacht Diamantslijpen — Vlnr: Marie Louise Bartels (Gassan), Pauline Willemse (Coster) en presentator Jack van Gelder

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From left to right: Marie Louise Bartels (Gassan), Pauline Willemse (Coster) and presenter Jack van Gelder

The series was initiated in 2018 by the Royal Dutch Mint in collaboration with the Dutch Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage. The first medal was issued by the Millers Craft, partly because of the placement of this craft on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO. The medal for the Craftsmanship of the Diamond worker was issued in the context of the theme year 'Rembrandt & the Golden Age'. This craft experienced its greatest growth in the Netherlands during the Golden Age and is nowadays practiced in Amsterdam at two companies: at Royal Coster Diamonds and at GASSAN Diamonds. The first copies of the new medal were handed over in the Jewish Historical Museum to descendants of the Amsterdam founders of the current Amsterdam City of Diamonds.

The medal of the Craftsmanship of the Diamond Worker is made in three variations. A Cu / Ni token, packaged as the well-known coincard, with a circulation of 2,500 copies. A very exclusive gold medal, with a real diamond in the middle in a circulation of 10 pieces and a Sterling silver variant with a real diamond as well. 50 copies were made of this silver version. The medal turns out to be a huge success because within three hours after the sale was started, all three variants were sold out.

Financieel directeur Bert van Ravenswaaij van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt presenteert de nieuwe penning ambacht van diamantslijper — Financieel directeur Bert van Ravenswaaij van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt presenteert de nieuwe penning.

Financial Director Bert van Ravenswaaij of the Royal Dutch Mint presents the new medal.