Zeeuwse kwart snaphaanschelling, 1584 1584

This is a Zeeuwse kwart snaphaanschelling, a silver coin made in the province of Zeeland in 1584. The image on the coin shows a standing figure next to a coat of arms depicting a lion emerging from water. The surrounding text is in Latin. Coins like this one are fascinating because they offer insight into the social and political conditions of the time. Zeeland was one of the provinces that formed the Dutch Republic, which was in the midst of the Eighty Years' War against Spain in 1584. The coin was produced in the midst of this conflict, and the imagery and inscription reflect the province’s identity. The lion emerging from the water on the coat of arms, is a symbol of the province's maritime power and its struggle for independence. Historical research into the economic and political history of the Dutch Republic will reveal more about the symbolism of the coin, and its role in constructing the identity of Zeeland during a time of war and social change.