Munt van een halve rijksdaalder van hertog van Anjou 1582

This is a silver half 'rijksdaalder', issued by the Duke of Anjou. Though we don’t know the exact date it was made, the material itself speaks volumes. Silver, valued for its rarity and malleability, lent itself perfectly to the minting of coins. But this isn't just about inherent qualities; it's about production. The coin was likely die-struck, a process where a design is engraved onto a metal die, which is then hammered onto the silver blank. Each strike leaves a lasting imprint, not just of the Duke's image and title, but of the labor involved. Consider the engraver's skill, the minter's precision, and the wider economic system that supported it all. What might seem like a simple object of exchange becomes a powerful symbol of wealth, power, and the intricate web of human activity that underpins it. Looking at the coin this way invites us to consider the stories of labor and value that are embedded in its very material.