Hippolyte Terrax, muntmeester aan de munt van Brabant 1480

This small coin portraying Hippolyte Terrax, the master of the Brabant mint, offers a glimpse into the economic and political landscape of the 15th century. Its anonymous creation speaks to the socio-economic systems which often obscured the individual labor behind the creation of currency. Coins like this one were more than mere tokens of exchange; they were tools of power, imprinting the authority of the region onto everyday life. The coin’s imagery, while seemingly simple, evokes questions about the interplay of power, wealth, and identity in the late medieval period. It presents a narrative that invites us to reflect on the foundations of economic systems. Reflecting on the tactile and symbolic weight of this small object, consider how it would have felt in the hands of those who used it. What stories did it silently carry as it passed from person to person?