Halve koningsdaalder, noodmunt uit Groningen, geslagen tijdens het beleg, ter betaling van achterstallige soldij aan het garnizoen Possibly 1577

Curator: Immediately striking, isn't it? The simplicity of the form belies a powerful story, etched quite literally onto its surface. Editor: The metallic surface appears worn. I notice it’s a somewhat misshapen square rather than a traditional circular coin. It projects a mood of both endurance and perhaps a certain desperation. Curator: Precisely. What we have here is a halve koningsdaalder, essentially emergency coinage minted in Groningen during a siege. This piece of silver, possibly dating to 1577, represents more than just monetary value. Editor: Metal carries its own weight, doesn’t it? The fact that this was a measure born of crisis informs how we perceive it—the imperfections contribute to its presence. Was metal the material readily available to the besieged population? Curator: Most likely silver was available in a few locations as they were under attack. The coin speaks volumes about the city's resilience. Look closely at the face. The imagery, despite its rough execution, is replete with meaning. We see the heraldic eagle— Editor: That symbol anchors the coin. But look at its counterpart, the complete lack of any image. I am wondering whether the symbolic language offered only cold comfort in these dire moments. What do you think of the iconography here, stripped down to its basic message and metallic being? Curator: Absolutely. Stripped back, and almost raw, but potent, it is a poignant symbol of survival and ingenuity under extreme pressure. Each detail, the lettering, the image itself becomes a coded narrative of hardship and resolve. Editor: Its irregularity gives this half coin object an added resonance. By decoding what lies on the coin's surface, we gain a sense of the emotions that permeated Groningen’s population during that time. Curator: Exactly. I like to think this coin serves as a time capsule. Now what does it speak to you? Editor: It makes me think of structural linguistics in relation to this currency of conflict. It all seems part of some kind of cultural, historical code. Curator: Yes, in that history there are signs of a wider truth for future interpreters and scholars. Editor: Yes indeed! This historical relic has given me something to meditate on, a tangible relic.