Hollandse halve groot van Philips de Schone, 1482-1506 1493 - 1496

This is a "Hollandse halve groot", a coin made of silver during the reign of Philip the Handsome, Duke of Burgundy, sometime between 1482 and 1506. Coins are fascinating not just as economic objects but as tools that help us understand the politics of imagery. The images and inscriptions on coins worked as propaganda, communicating the ruler's power and legitimacy to a wide audience. In the late medieval period, the Burgundian dukes were among the wealthiest and most powerful rulers in Europe. Their opulent court was a major center for the production of art and luxury goods, and they used these objects to project an image of themselves as sophisticated and cultured rulers. Looking at the design and inscriptions of coins like this one, consulting historical records, and studying the economic context of its production, we can understand how art and power intersected in the late medieval world.