Vroedschapspenning van de stad Rotterdam Possibly 1714 - 1719

This silver Vroedschapspenning, or council coin, of the city of Rotterdam was made by Van de Vou. Such coins were produced in the Netherlands and the Low Countries to commemorate membership of a town council, as well as special events. We can see in this coin a perfect illustration of Dutch society in the Golden Age. The seated woman embodies the city of Rotterdam. She leans on a shield displaying the city’s coat of arms, which is held by a small child, perhaps representing the next generation of Rotterdammers. In her left hand, she holds a caduceus, a symbol of commerce. A view of the city looms over her. These symbols connect the coin to its specific time and place: the seventeenth-century Dutch Republic, which was a leading center of world trade. Rotterdam was a key port city, with powerful merchants and a strong civic identity. To fully understand this coin, we would need to examine city archives, histories of the Dutch Republic, and studies of Dutch visual culture. These resources help us contextualize the coin as a material expression of Rotterdam's civic pride during its Golden Age.