Patstelling tussen de Nederlandse en Spaanse legers 1595

This silver coin, of unknown date and maker, commemorates the military standoff between the Dutch and Spanish armies. As currency, the coin represents a nexus of craft and capitalism. The material is crucial here. Silver has long been a valuable commodity, extracted through intensive labor, often under exploitative conditions. The coin’s small size belies the effort required to mine, refine, and mint the metal into a circulating medium of exchange. Consider the techniques used to create this coin. The design was likely engraved into a die, then stamped onto a blank coin through tremendous force. This process demanded skilled craftsmanship, but also suggests the mechanization of labor. It is not ‘high art’, but instead a product manufactured for circulation. The very existence of this coin reminds us of the deep connections between art, craft, and the wider world of labor, politics, and consumption. It challenges traditional notions of artistic value. The coin is not just an artifact, but a symbol of the complex relationship between power, money, and artistic expression.