Reckheimse duit van Ferdinand van Aspremont-Lynden (1636-1665) 1636 - 1665

This copper coin, a Reckheimse duit, was created by Ferdinand van Aspremont-Lynden, heer van Reckheim around the mid-17th century. Its material is key: copper was a common, relatively inexpensive metal, reflecting the coin's modest value. Consider how this coin was made. Molten copper would have been cast into a blank, then struck with dies to impress the design – in this case, the lord's insignia. This process, while mechanized to a degree, still relied on skilled labor: the die cutters who produced the stamps, and the workers who operated the presses. The coin’s worn surface speaks volumes, each scratch and dent a testament to its journey through countless transactions. A humble object like this, easily overlooked, offers a tangible link to the economic realities of the past. It reminds us that even the smallest artifact can reveal the larger forces of society at work.