Taler, noodmunt voor het leger van Johan II Sigismund Zápolya, troonpretedent van Hongarije en prins van Transsylvanië, in oorlog tegen keizer Maximiliaan II. 1565

This Taler, or 'emergency money', was made anonymously for the army of John II Sigismund Zápolya as he fought against Emperor Maximilian II for the Hungarian throne. The coin is a fascinating artifact of a very specific moment in history. As the army fought, this coin served as a promise, a placeholder for value in uncertain times. The metal itself is less important than what it represented: faith in a leader, and perhaps a longing for stability. This coin carries the weight of political ambition, military struggle, and the daily lives of soldiers. Consider how objects such as this coin acted as silent witnesses to power struggles and the reshaping of national identities, as war is always intertwined with identity. It calls us to reflect on the human stories behind historical events, on those who stood to gain, those who were displaced, and those who were simply trying to survive.