Nederlandse 25 cent, 1825 1825

This is a Dutch 25 cent coin made of silver in 1825, during the reign of Willem I. It’s a humble object, yet rich in implications. Consider its materiality: silver, a precious metal, but here rendered into a mundane, everyday object. The coin's small size belies the immense power it represented. Minted through industrial processes, each strike of the die imprints the monarch's authority onto the metal. The very act of mass production speaks to a changing social order, as wealth trickled down, enabling a wider segment of society to participate in trade. The coin is more than just currency; it is a symbol of labor, politics, and consumption, all pressed into one small disc. The use of materials, methods of making, and historical context, invite us to reconsider the relationship between craft, industry, and fine art.