Reaal van achten, geslagen te Mexico, munt uit het wrak van de Oost-Indiëvaarder 't Vliegend Hart 1733

Curator: Here we have a fascinating piece: a silver "Reaal van achten," minted in Mexico in 1733. Quite extraordinarily, this particular coin comes from the wreck of the Dutch East India Company ship 't Vliegend Hart. Editor: It looks like a bar of soap, honestly. Beautifully weathered, but… more rustic than royal. I’m getting a powerful sense of history here. It's quite moving, this survivor of the sea. Curator: It’s interesting you say that, because while it functioned as currency, its crudeness of form speaks to the silver mining processes of the time in the Spanish colonies and also to its mass production and urgent shipping needs, right? This piece is Baroque, though heavily influenced by the necessities of function. Editor: That’s a keen observation. Seeing it this way… it reframes how I think about global trade, and about exploitation of land and people—it becomes this raw emblem of colonial ambition and how wealth was accumulated during the 18th century. Curator: Precisely. Its very form whispers tales of transatlantic voyages, maritime disasters, and economic power plays. There’s the romance of sunken treasure, of course. But also the stark reality of a globalized world taking shape, through often brutal means. Editor: I hadn't considered that the wear and tear isn't just accidental beauty; it’s essentially evidence, telling of the forces that created, and then destroyed the original coin. The water has worked away everything frivolous leaving this primal emblem of currency. It makes me reflect on what currency really represents... It all comes down to how we agree on meaning and value. Curator: Absolutely. In many ways, it's a perfect object of reflection. I wonder what other stories it can tell depending on who's observing it... Thank you for pointing this out; it truly enriches one’s perspective when observing its shape and material! Editor: Well, I leave with a renewed understanding of both value and loss represented in this little silver brick.