Halve daalder, noodmunt uit Haarlem, geslagen tijdens het beleg Possibly 1572 - 1573

This is a ‘Halve daalder’, a coin from Haarlem, crafted from silver during the siege of 1572, likely by Henrick Cornelisz. Leeuwen. Its square shape immediately departs from the traditional round coin, signaling a break from convention necessitated by the exigencies of war. Notice the rough, unrefined texture of the silver, indicative of the hasty circumstances of its production. The stamped images—a shield and other symbols—lack crispness, further emphasizing the context of urgency and scarcity. The very form of this coin, its deviation from the norm, speaks volumes. It’s a material manifestation of a society under duress. The lack of precise, clean lines destabilizes the expected order usually associated with currency, reflecting a disruption of economic and social stability. The coin’s materiality and form are not merely aesthetic choices, but powerful signifiers of a city under siege, grappling with survival.