Aanvang van het jaar 1752 1752

This silver New Year’s medal was made in 1752 by Gerrit Marshoorn. Its size belies the intricacy of its design. The two sides depict, respectively, a ship at sea and a sunrise over the ocean, with an inscription wishing good fortune in the new year. Consider the labor that went into this coin. Silver would have been mined, smelted, and refined, each process reliant on human effort and expertise. The medal itself was likely created using a die-stamping technique, where the design is engraved into hardened steel and then pressed onto the softer silver. The level of detail achieved speaks to the skill of the die cutter and the precision of the machinery involved. The ship and the sunrise connect the coin to a specific moment in history. It would have been a potent symbol of Dutch maritime power and global trade, reminders of both opportunity and risk, and the labor of countless sailors and merchants. Thinking about this medal through the lens of materials, making, and context gives us a fuller sense of its cultural significance, beyond just being a token of good luck.