Zeeuwse stuiver, 1791 1791

This small silver coin was made in the province of Zeeland in 1791. As a medium of exchange, this stuiver was a product of its time, reflective of an increasingly monetary society. Consider the labor involved: from mining the silver, to refining it, to striking the coin with its identifying marks. The coin’s texture, weight, and design all speak to the processes that gave it form, from the machinery used, to the skilled craftsmanship required to create the die for stamping. The design, though simple, reinforces the province's identity and economic power. A coin like this reminds us that even the smallest, most utilitarian objects are embedded in complex systems of production and exchange, tying everyday life to larger economic and political structures. Examining such an object through the lens of its making allows us to appreciate its cultural significance and how it reflects the society that produced it.