Rekenkamer van Rijssel, rekenpenning van de munt van Vlaanderen 1506

This is a bronze 'rekenpenning' or counting token, an early form of calculation device, likely crafted anonymously for the Chamber of Accounts of Rijssel in Flanders. The token presents a compelling study in contrasts and symmetry. Each side features a circular composition, one dominated by an eagle and heraldic shields, the other by a crowned lion rampant. Notice how the use of concentric circles emphasizes the token’s form as a bounded, self-contained world. The inscriptions, arranged circularly, frame the central images, suggesting an attempt to contain meaning within prescribed boundaries. However, the token's irregular shape disrupts this sense of order, as if it is pushing against its own structure. This tension invites us to consider how such tokens not only facilitated transactions but also embodied the conflicts between established authority and emerging economic forces. The symmetry of the design belies the asymmetries of power.