Wijnkopersgilde, gildepenning van Lernout le Croy 1602

This 17th century guild token, created in 1602, depicts a bunch of grapes on one side and the inscription “LERNOVT LE CROY 1602” on the other. The token, made for the Wijnkopersgilde (Wine Merchant's Guild), belonged to Lernout le Croy, likely a member of the guild. While the artist remains anonymous, this small, 3.5-centimeter token showcases the intricate details of the time, with the grape motif symbolizing the guild’s trade and the inscription highlighting the individual member. Guild tokens, like this one, were used for identification and served as a form of early advertising.