Dubbele stuiver, noodmunt uit Doornik door de bondgenoten ingenomen, geslagen op last van maarschalk de Surville Possibly 1709

Editor: Here we have an intriguing double "stuiver," a type of emergency coin from Doornik, dating back to around 1709. It’s a metal print, engraved with a depiction of a tower. I am struck by how roughly it was made. What stands out to you? Curator: Its materiality speaks volumes. This isn't just currency; it’s a direct trace of socio-political circumstances and material constraints. Its very existence points to a breakdown in the standard means of exchange. Do you see how it departs from traditionally precious coinage? Editor: I do, it's more crude and functional, which reflects scarcity. It has a rawness that precious metals would not. What do you think the artist might have hoped to communicate through such material limitations? Curator: Possibly nothing overt. Its "artist" was likely more of an artisan, prioritizing expediency over aesthetics. This highlights the artificial divide we create between "art" and "craft." These emergency coins prompt us to ask: What are the material conditions that give rise to a need for these alternative means of exchange? And how does that production change the landscape of daily transactions? Editor: That makes sense. It is not art for art's sake, but it provides an immediate access to historical needs and social realities through the evidence of the raw object. Thanks! Curator: Precisely. By analyzing the object itself and the means of its production, we glimpse a specific moment in time shaped by necessity and resourcefulness. A tangible story is forged by way of a very simple coin!