Zes pence, noodnunt van Jacobus II, koning van Engeland, uit september 1689 1689

This is a sixpence coin, a desperate measure of Jacobus II, King of England, made in September 1689. Its imagery is rich with symbols of power and authority, like the crowned initials. But look closer: this coin was a ‘noodmunt’, a coin of necessity, struck during times of extreme crisis. The crown atop the initials symbolizes the monarch’s divine right, a motif that stretches back to antiquity, seen in the laurel wreaths of Roman emperors. The crown, however, appears here amidst chaos, during his exile. Compare this with the crowns adorning Byzantine icons, potent symbols of unbroken imperial power, or even a playing card with the image of a crown: the meaning shifts with the context! These symbols, embedded in the collective psyche, evoke ideas of order, stability, and legitimacy. The coin bears the psychological weight of a kingdom in turmoil. It reveals the emotional urgency to maintain appearances of power even as the ground shifts beneath one's feet. A silent, metallic cry from a king losing his throne.