Duit van Groningen, 1690 1690

Curator: This is a “Duit van Groningen,” a coin minted in 1690 by the city of Groningen. Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by the patina. It feels like touching history itself – the wear and slight corrosion telling a silent story of countless transactions. It almost whispers. Curator: Absolutely, that tangible quality is central. These weren’t mass-produced in the way we think of currency today. The materials used and the methods to get those materials offer significant insight to economic situations. The process reflects labor structures and access to raw materials. What we see here are very local struggles made tangible. Editor: It’s incredible to consider what hands held this – shopkeepers, laborers, maybe even revolutionaries? There's an intimacy that contrasts with the grand heraldry it depicts – a crowned shield that appears strangely worn down with what seems to be the coat of arms. It seems the details were meticulously pressed into the metal, yet age gives the scene character and weight, the way history will always mark its truth, its cost, into our faces. Curator: That leads to another point of context about circulation—coins also served as political instruments. Designs asserted sovereignty. What was put into circulation reflects intentional political acts as part of power. How accessible coins are becomes part of who profits, of trade. In the context of the province in 1690 – this coin signifies their distinct identity during a politically complex period of Dutch history. Editor: The scale amplifies the impact. Thinking of this powerful imagery shrunk down – to fit in your palm – highlights its function: power reduced and multiplied, moving amongst the populace. Each transaction a subtle reminder and a link in the social and economic chain. I love how something so seemingly insignificant can hold so much meaning. Curator: That meaning is shaped, even imbued, through that production and usage. Understanding the history that lies beneath that "wear and tear" brings new insight into each interaction—how someone might obtain it or part with it reveals power and powerlessness. Editor: True. This little disc invites you to hold more than its monetary worth, inviting its past into present consideration. It sparks something human and communal, even from behind glass, to make a historical imprint.