Speaker
Description
In November 2015, the collection of dies and punches of the Royal Mint of Belgium was transferred to KBR (Royal Library of Belgium). This collection of about 15,000 objects, consists of tools from the old mint workshops of the Southern Netherlands and the Kingdom of Belgium. This material has been preserved for centuries under the name of the Musée des instruments monétaires, and has been systematically enlarged by deposits and gifts from engravers, associations and institutions.
This paper aims to present the first analysis of this newly acquired collection. In its first part, the broader context of the material is outlined, through a brief overview of the history of the old mint workshops. The second part of this paper focuses on the collection itself, outlines its history and transfer to the KBR, discusses the current state of the collection, and proposes an action plan for future management and access.
