Toetreding van de Staten van Gelderland en Zutphen tot de vergadering van de Staten-Generaal te Brussel 1576

This silver medal, made in 1624 by Hendrick Noster, commemorates a pivotal moment in Dutch history. The material itself—silver— speaks to the economic and political power at play. Minted coins like this weren't just about currency, they were tools of propaganda. The process of die-striking these coins was labor-intensive, requiring skilled artisans to engrave the intricate designs. We see the coats of arms of Gelderland and Zutphen, provinces of the Netherlands, and lengthy Latin inscriptions. These wouldn’t have been easily legible to the common person, making this more of a symbolic gesture for the elite. The medal's small size makes you consider the value of concentrated information, which was crafted to be passed around, thus signifying an important political alliance. Ultimately, this medal demonstrates how materials and making can encode social and political messages, blurring the lines between art, craft, and political strategy.