Roei-, steiger- en schuitenvoerdersgilde van Amsterdam, gildepenning van Jan Spierje, ligplaats Haringpakkerij 1765

This medal was crafted by an anonymous artist, and it commemorates Jan Spierje's membership in the Roei-, steiger-, en schuitenvoerdersgilde of Amsterdam. Notice how the composition is divided into two distinct sides. One side features a meticulously etched boat navigating through choppy waters under a sky dotted with birds, evoking a sense of maritime activity. On the other side, the inscription is neatly organized in a vertical hierarchy. This arrangement isn’t merely decorative; it’s deeply communicative. The boat symbolizes the guild's trade and the practical skills of its members, while the inscription anchors the medal in a specific time, place, and personal identity. The medal thus functions as a symbolic nexus, intertwining personal recognition with collective identity. It embodies the economic and social structures of the guild through the medium of a handheld object.