Karel V, Duits keizer 1521

This coin depicting Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, was made anonymously, from silver, through striking. Silver, historically a store of value, has been used in the production of coinage for millennia. Consider the labor involved in extracting, processing, and refining this metal before it even reaches the minter. The coin's small size belies the extensive global networks tied to its material. Striking, an age-old process, requires skilled die engravers to create the intricate designs, as we see here in the emperor's likeness and surrounding text. The dies would have been hammered onto the silver blank, imprinting the image. The coin’s value isn't just economic, it’s a material witness to history. Recognizing the multiple forms of labor and skill involved, helps us to rethink conventional distinctions between art, craft and industry.