Hollandse dubbele stuiver, 1725 1725

This is a Dutch "dubbele stuiver" or double penny, struck in 1725 by the Province of Holland. The coin, made of silver, presents two sides: one dominated by the heraldic symbol of a crowned lion within a shield and the other marked with the inscription 'Hollandia' above the year 1725. In examining the coin's structure, the circular form itself is critical. The circumference contains the imagery and text which creates a bounded universe of meaning. On one side the lion represents the state, standing as an icon of power and governance. The script on the opposite side functions didactically, naming the province and time. The formal qualities of symmetry, relief, and the deliberate arrangement of text all contribute to an impression of order and authority. Consider how this object, through its design, conveyed stability and legitimacy during its time. The symbolic language employed by the artist, carefully structuring the imagery and text, invited a reading of Holland as an organized and well-defined entity.