The Netherlands, which is also informally known as Holland, is situated in Western Europe and partly in the Caribbean. The Netherlands in Europe consists of twelve provinces and is bordered by Germany to the east, the North Sea to the northwest, and Belgium to the south. Meanwhile, the Caribbean has three special municipalities, namely, Sint Eustatius, Saba, and the islands of Bonaire.
The country has a high level of economic freedom. With fishing, agriculture, shipping, banking, and trading as its leading sectors, the Netherlands is one of the top countries and most competitive economies in the world.
Before the country switched to the euro, the guilder had been its official currency from the 17th century until 2002. Additionally, the Netherlands Antillean guilder is used as the monetary unit in the Caribbean countries that are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
On its 1967 issues of the Netherlands Antillean guilder, the Statuut monument and the new coat of arms were featured on the banknotes. The designs were retained on the 1979 issues but with more vibrant colors. In 1986, another set of notes was released with all-new designs, depicting various birds and the coat of arms. These notes were reissued in 1998, bearing new security elements such Omron rings, multi-color planchettes, and gold foil patches as well as iridescent printing.
On the other hand, in 1980, banknotes for the Dutch guilder were issued featuring a sunflower, a lighthouse, and a snipe. In the 1970s, a set of notes were released bearing a portrait of prominent Dutch personalities. These notes were designed by R.D.E. Oxenaar. Eventually, the designs were replaced by abstracts that are a design by Jaap Drupsteen.
