Beleg van Gulik door Albrecht, aartshertog van Oostenrijk, noodmunt van vier stuiver, vervaardigd uit een ortstaler van Georg Gustav, paltsgraaf van Veldenz, bestempeld met het monogram van Frederik Pithaen Possibly 1621 - 1629

This four-stuiver coin was born of necessity during the siege of Gulik by Archduke Albrecht of Austria. It was made from an ortstaler - a silver coin - of Georg Gustav, palgrave of Veldenz, and then stamped with the monogram of Frederik Pithaen. The coin’s non-standard, fan-like shape shows it wasn’t made under ordinary minting conditions. It was created to address an urgent need for currency. Silver, inherently valuable, was melted down and re-struck, the original coin literally cut down to size. The over-stamping is also important. It reflects direct intervention, the pressure of social circumstances made visible on the coin’s surface. It’s a reminder that even something as seemingly neutral as money is subject to human will, especially in moments of crisis. Looking closely at this coin, we can appreciate that craft and necessity often intertwine, especially in times of upheaval.