Vondst van een grote zwerfkei op de Pisberg bij Amersfoort, rekenpenning geslagen op last van de stad Amersfoort ter ere van jhr. E. Meyster 1661

This is a cast bronze medal, struck at the behest of the city of Amersfoort. It commemorates the discovery of a large boulder on the Pisberg, a geological curiosity in the Netherlands. We can read the social context in the materials and method. Bronze is a relatively humble material, but it is durable, and capable of capturing fine detail when cast – precisely the qualities needed for this commemorative object. To create it, a pattern would have been carefully carved in a material like wax or wood, then invested in a mold for casting. After pouring the molten metal, the mold would be broken away, leaving a rough bronze form which would then be cleaned, polished and finished. This medal, therefore, embodies several skilled trades: pattern-making, mold-making, metal casting and finishing. Each required both specialized knowledge and physical labor. The combination of these crafts ensured that the memory of the boulder's discovery could circulate widely, and last for generations to come. The medal is evidence of the value placed on both geological discoveries and the labor required to immortalize them.