Dutch gold
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Deutsche or German gold. An alloy of copper and zinc, invented by Prince Rupert of Bavaria.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Dutch gold” mean?
Deutsche or German gold. An alloy of copper and zinc, invented by Prince Rupert of Bavaria.
Is “Dutch gold” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.