Beleg van Groningen 1672

This is a silver medal, likely made sometime in the 17th century in the Netherlands by an anonymous artist. The medal’s form, circular and handheld, resembles a coin; and like a coin, it testifies to a specific event. On one side is a high relief depiction of the siege of Groningen. On the other side, an inscription commemorates the siege. The act of striking this medal reflects a tradition of civic commemoration, a way of preserving historical memory through material culture. It would likely have been produced through die-striking, a process involving hammering metal between engraved dies. Minting and medal-making are closely linked, both requiring skilled labor and specialized equipment. The medal itself is a small artifact, yet its production and imagery speak to broader issues of political power, civic identity, and military conflict. It goes to show how even a modest object can be a valuable historical record.