2 cent van Nederlands Indië,1835 1835

This two cent coin from the Dutch East Indies was likely made in 1835 during the reign of King Willem I. Minted from copper, its worn surface speaks volumes about circulation and use. Coins like this were essential tools of colonial administration. Mass production allowed for the efficient extraction of resources and labor, reinforcing Dutch power across the archipelago. The coin’s small size belies its immense impact. Each piece represents the formalization of economic control, transforming complex social relations into quantifiable transactions. The use of industrial processes to strike these coins allowed for consistent design and value, standardizing exchange. This reflects the wider industrial revolution and the expansion of global capitalism. Even something as humble as a coin can illuminate the ways in which craft, technology, and empire were intertwined.