Claudius van Lotharingen 1570

This coin, titled Claudius van Lotharingen, was made by an anonymous artist. It’s a small copper object, but its size belies its significance. Copper, a relatively common metal, was transformed through skilled labor and industrial processes into a valuable token of exchange. Think about the labor involved in mining the copper, refining it, and then striking the coin with its intricate design. The coin's imagery, likely a portrait of a ruler or a heraldic symbol, speaks to power, authority, and the social hierarchy of the time. Coins like this one weren’t just about monetary value; they were also instruments of propaganda, circulating messages about the ruling elite. Even in such a humble object, we see the intersection of material, making, and meaning. It reminds us that even everyday objects can tell complex stories about labor, politics, and consumption.