Hollandse munt of duit c. 1590 - 1596

This anonymous Dutch coin features a seated female figure amidst wheat, her arm raised, under radiating light. This echoes the classical iconography of Fortuna, the Roman goddess of fortune and prosperity, who is often depicted with a cornucopia or seated on a throne, symbolizing stability and abundance. Notice how the raised arm, a gesture found in depictions of victory and benediction since antiquity, harkens back to ancient Roman coins, where emperors were portrayed with similar gestures to signal dominance and divine approval. It's intriguing how the symbol has transformed. In antiquity, it represented power and divine favor, later evolving into a symbol of good fortune. The persistent recurrence of Fortuna reflects a deeper psychological need, a collective hope for stability in an unpredictable world. Even in this simple coin, we see the endurance of visual symbols, their meanings shifting and adapting, resurfacing through the ages in an endless, cyclical dance.