Netherlands, Amsterdamsche Bank N.V., Aandeel, 200 Gulden, 16 September 1918

The Amsterdamsche Bank is a former Dutch bank. The bank was founded in 1871 by a group primarily of German banks, led by the Bank für Handel und Industrie from Darmstadt. Germany was looking for opportunities to invest in foreign companies by investing with the reparations France had paid after the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871). With the establishment of the Amsterdamsche Bank, they sought ways to further connect the German and Dutch money markets. On the Dutch side, Amsterdam banker Abraham Wertheim played a significant role before and after the bank's establishment. The Amsterdamsche Bank had a strong connection to the Amsterdam diamond industry but was also active in the stock market. In 1901, the Amsterdamsche Bank established its first subsidiary, the Amsterdamsch Wisselkantoor, which operated as an independent company. Soon, the Amsterdamsch Wisselkantoor would open branches in Utrecht, Eindhoven, Almelo, and Enschede. Later, all these offices would be integrated into the parent company and continue as branches of the Amsterdamsche Bank. The Amsterdamsche Bank also acquired interests in various provincial banks, such as the Helmondsche Bank and the Heerlener Bank. Starting from 1911, they followed the example of Rabover and acquired a large number of local banks. For financing the Belgian diamond industry, the Amsterdamsche Bank for Belgium was established in Antwerp in 1937. In 1939, the Amsterdamsche Bank and Robaver had developed merger plans but put them on hold in anticipation of Dutch involvement in World War II. In early 1940, the Amsterdamsche Bank acquired the Noordhollandsch Landbouwcrediet in Alkmaar, a bank in which the Amsterdamsche Bank had also played a role in its creation. However, the most significant bank merger was the takeover of the Incasso bank on January 1, 1948. In 1964, the Amsterdamsche Bank merged with the Rotterdamsche Bank (formerly Robaver) to become AMRO Bank, which later merged with ABN Bank to become the current ABN AMRO Bank.