Filips II, koning van Spanje, rekenpenning van de rekenkamer van Gelderland te Arnhem 1563

This is a bronze rekenpenning, or counting token, of Philip II, King of Spain, made for the Chamber of Accounts of Gelderland in Arnhem. At the time this token was made, Philip II was struggling to maintain control over the Netherlands. As a symbol of authority, this token speaks to issues of identity, power, and regional governance. The presence of Philip II's portrait asserts Spanish authority, while its creation for use in Gelderland signals a region grappling with its relationship to foreign rule. Consider how issues of identity, loyalty, and resistance were expressed through everyday objects like this. The token presents not just a transaction piece, but a symbol of political negotiation. It embodies the complex, often conflicted relationship between the local and the imperial.