Filips, erfprins van Spanje, ingehuldigd als graaf van Holland 1549

This small, anonymous silver coin commemorates Prince Philip of Spain's inauguration as Count of Holland. The circular form is bisected into two distinct fields, each containing a wealth of symbolic information. On one side, we see a profiled bust of Philip, encircled by text. The opposite side features a complex heraldic shield, dominated by a crown, also framed by text. The lines are crisp, but the overall impression is one of a dense, almost impenetrable layering of signs. The coin's structure reveals a calculated interplay between representation and power. The heraldic symbols aren't just decorative; they create a visual language that reinforced Philip's authority. Yet, by condensing such grand pronouncements onto a small, handheld object, the coin invites intimate scrutiny. This tension between public declaration and private ownership creates an interesting dynamic, questioning the nature of power and representation in early modern Europe. Is the coin an assertion of dominance, or an invitation to question it?