Bonk van 2 stuivers van Nederlands Indië, 1805 1805

This is a 'Bonk van 2 stuivers van Nederlands Indië', made in 1805 by the Batavian Republic. This small object speaks volumes about the complex dynamics of colonialism. It's a coin from the Dutch East Indies, a region now known as Indonesia, and it was created during the time of the Batavian Republic, a satellite state of Napoleonic France. Coins like this one were not just currency; they were symbols of power and control. Think about the weight it carried – literally and figuratively – for those who were forced to use it under colonial rule. How did it feel to have the colonizer’s currency in your hand? As you observe this coin, reflect on the economic and social structures it represents, and the lives of those who lived under its shadow. It's a stark reminder of the enduring legacies of colonialism.