Nijmeegs peerdeke of kwart snaphaan 1475 - 1525

This small coin, known locally as a "Nijmeegs peerdeke," or little horse of Nijmegen, was likely made by a craftsman in the city of Nijmegen. Small coins like this were struck from precious metals, in this case silver, using hand-engraved dies. Consider how the material itself, in its relative scarcity and fixed exchange rate, gives the coin its worth. The images stamped onto its surface, a knight on horseback and a heraldic shield, further amplify this value, connecting it to the city's identity and economy. The amount of labor involved in extracting the silver, refining it, and striking it into currency represents a tangible input of value. As you can see from the coin’s slightly degraded surface, it also served its purpose through constant circulation. Thinking about this coin, we can see that even the smallest and most functional objects are thoroughly embedded in material, social, and political history. It prompts us to reflect on the labor and resources involved in its creation, and how we assign value to objects, bridging traditional notions of craft and currency.