halve taler; twee eenheden, noodmunt uit Frankenthal, geslagen tijdens het beleg door Verdugo 1623

This is an anonymous half taler, a two-unit emergency coin from Frankenthal, struck during the siege by Verdugo. The coin's crude, square form immediately strikes us. Its stark geometry contrasts sharply with the circular inscription and central triangular motif. This interplay of shapes creates a visual tension, reflecting the unstable conditions under which it was produced. The relief of the shapes and lettering gives an undeniable texture, an almost haptic quality that is a far cry from the smooth finish of the coins of established kingdoms. The triangle is central to the coin’s semantic system, an allusion to the Holy Trinity and its promise of salvation? The inscription functions like a frame, yet also acts as a boundary, a barrier against chaos. The coin offers a lens through which we might consider the semiotics of power and value, where even the most rudimentary forms can become potent symbols of resistance and resilience. We are reminded that the meaning of art, like that of currency, is never fixed, but rather is continually negotiated and redefined by those who create, circulate, and interpret it.