Holland, 1 Guilder, from the series Coins of All Nations (N72, variation 1) for Duke brand cigarettes 1889

This lithograph, made circa 1870-1920 by W. Duke, Sons & Co., presents a Dutch guilder coin in an amusing fashion. Notice how the central image of the coin is anthropomorphized, given a human body and face. The composition is dominated by the large, circular form of the coin, bisected by the figure. The artist plays with scale, exaggerating certain features of the figure to create a caricature. It's a curious blend of the real and the imagined. The semiotic interplay here is fascinating. Coins are signs of value and exchange. By personifying the coin, the artist seems to be commenting on the cultural and social values associated with money. Is the figure a representation of the common person, dwarfed by the economic systems they inhabit? Or perhaps it is a playful commentary on the global reach of commerce? The ambiguity is, I think, intentional. The formal play with size and representation elevates this simple cigarette card to a sophisticated commentary on money and society.