Drie pence, noodmunt van Karel I, koning van Engeland te Ormond geslagen van het door de ingezetenen opgebrachte zilver 1643

This is a silver three pence coin, a "noodmunt", or emergency coinage, made anonymously during the reign of Charles I of England in Ormond. The coin's production reveals a fascinating story of social and political upheaval. The term "noodmunt" suggests a time of crisis, when traditional systems of currency were disrupted, and communities had to find alternative ways to facilitate exchange. Struck from silver contributed by local residents, the coin highlights the ways in which communities mobilized to support their leaders during times of conflict. Charles I's reign was marked by increasing tensions between the monarchy and Parliament, ultimately leading to the English Civil War. Coins such as these, with the royalist imagery of crowns, tell of the complex politics of imagery. The historian would look for documentary resources, local archives and numismatic studies to understand better the conditions that shaped the coin's production. This helps us understand the contingent meanings of art tied to social context.