Presentiepenning van het Smidsgilde te Middelburg, 1690 1690

This is a Presentiepenning, or a presentation coin, of the Smith's Guild in Middelburg, crafted in 1690 by Willem du Pre. Immediately, we notice symbols laden with historical weight: a smith's hammer, tools of the trade, and serpentine figures. The hammer, a potent emblem, speaks not only to the blacksmith's craft but echoes the hammer of Thor, the Norse god, a protector and a wielder of immense power. This visual echo resonates across centuries, linking the guild's identity to ancient mythologies of strength and creation. The snakes too, recall the protective function of the Caduceus, or Hermes' staff. Consider the serpent's cyclical nature, its shedding of skin, a symbol of rebirth and transformation. Such symbols aren't merely decorative; they are powerful carriers of cultural memory, surfacing in diverse forms throughout history, each time adapting to new contexts, yet retaining their primal, subconscious appeal. This coin is more than metal, it is a potent capsule of inherited meaning.