Chirurgijnsgilde, gildepenning van Claas Coppens 1684

This 1684 guild token, likely made for Claas Coppens, a Dutch surgeon, is a small, circular bronze piece with a diameter of 4.4 cm. The front of the token depicts a mortar and pestle within a wreath of leaves, symbolizing the tools of the surgeon's trade. The back of the token features a skull and crossbones, a common symbol of mortality, with the inscription "Claas Coppens, Chirurgijn, A° 1684" surrounding it. Guild tokens like this were used as a form of identification and advertising for members of a particular trade.