Cholera-commissie te Amsterdam, ter ere van wijkmeester H.C. Coers, wegens bewezen diensten 1832

This medal was made in Amsterdam, likely in 1832, by Johannes Petrus Schouberg. It is made of struck silver, a material historically associated with value, permanence and reward. The medal commemorates the service of H.C. Coers, a district master, during a cholera outbreak. On one side, Amsterdam's coat of arms is surrounded by the inscription "Cholera Commission in Amsterdam." The reverse simply states "In remembrance of H.C. Coers." The imagery isn't particularly sophisticated, but rather communicates a clear message of civic duty and gratitude. The medal would have been produced through a process of die-striking, involving the careful engraving of hardened steel dies and the forceful impression of those dies onto a silver blank. The very process, involving multiple levels of craft and labor, would have added value and meaning to the finished object. This medal's real significance lies in its function as a token of recognition. It reminds us that even in times of crisis, societies find ways to acknowledge and value the contributions of ordinary people. By carefully combining material, process, and social context, we can better understand the full story of this small but meaningful object.