Inhuldiging van Maria Theresia als gravin van Brabant en Vlaanderen 1744

This silver coin, made by Jacques Roëttiers, commemorates Maria Theresa's inauguration as Countess of Brabant and Flanders. Coins like this one were essentially propaganda: small, easily portable objects designed to project power and authority. The material itself, silver, would have been sourced through extensive mining operations, and then smelted and refined. Think of the labor involved, all to produce this small token. The coin was die-struck, a process that uses tremendous force to impress an image onto the metal. Here, the portrait of Maria Theresa on the obverse and symbolic imagery on the reverse, all serve to underscore her legitimacy and importance. The very act of minting and distributing such coins would have reinforced her rule, turning metal into message. Considering this coin, it’s a reminder that even seemingly small and insignificant objects can carry a heavy weight of social, economic, and political meaning.