Utrechtse bezemstuiver, 1738 1738

This is the Utrechtse Bezemstuiver, a coin produced by the province of Utrecht in 1738, crafted from silver. The coin's circular form, so fundamental to its function, establishes a bounded field for symbolic inscription. The central text "TRAIECTUM" is arranged vertically, a grid-like structure. The letters, though static, gain a subtle dynamism through their arrangement, challenging conventional linear reading. The date, 1738, anchors this object in a specific historical context. It suggests an interplay between the timelessness of geometric form and the historicity of human inscription. This tension between form and content destabilizes fixed notions of value and representation. Consider the edge of the coin, with its repetitive, tooth-like indentations. These details function not just aesthetically but as part of a larger system of meaning. The coin invites ongoing interpretation and re-interpretation, where the interplay of form and history continually reshapes our understanding.