Westfriese dubbele stuiver, 1792 1792

This small silver coin was produced in West Friesland in 1792, in what is now the Netherlands. Its face is inscribed with the words "West Frisia" and the year of its minting. Now, you might ask, why would a rural region produce its own currency? Well, West Friesland was at this time a semi-autonomous region with its own political institutions. Independent coinage was one way for it to assert its identity in the face of rule by the Dutch Republic. We can also interpret this coin as a symbol of local pride and economic activity. As such, it's a reminder that even seemingly simple objects can tell us a great deal about the complex political and social conditions of the past. To understand more, we might consult local archives or collections of historical documents.