Karel V, Duits keizer, rekenpenning van het bureau van de keizer 1555

This calculating penny of Charles V, German Emperor, was made by an anonymous artist. The coin’s circular form, though worn, invites immediate tactile and visual engagement. Look closely at the two sides. On one, the intricate profile of Charles V is stamped, while on the opposite side, a complex heraldic emblem fills the space. The linear precision of the emblem contrasts with the somewhat eroded features of Charles, creating a tension between symbolic order and the ravages of time. The materiality of the metal and the relief-like carving underscore a sense of structural permanence. This penny served not just as currency, but as a symbolic artifact which reflects power, identity, and the formal languages through which authority is communicated and preserved. Consider how the form of the coin and the symbols it bears work together to create an object that is both functional and deeply invested with cultural and political meaning. The coin does not simply represent value; it embodies the structures of power and the circulation of ideas in its time.