Gelderse duit, 1756 1756

This small copper coin, a Gelderse duit, was produced in 1756 by the Province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. Its circular form and stamped inscriptions are products of industrialization, of early capitalism. Consider the material, copper. Mined from the earth, smelted, and refined, it speaks to the extensive networks of labor and trade that underpinned 18th-century economies. The coin's design, though simple, required skilled die-making and minting processes, and thus many hands to bring it into being. Each coin was identical, mass produced, and utilitarian. Look at the worn surface, bearing witness to its circulation through countless transactions. It reminds us that even the most humble objects can tell grand stories about social and economic systems. By attending to the materials, making, and the broader context of this humble coin, we gain insight into the complex and interconnected nature of human society.