2 Denier- Albert VII and Isabella

Historical Context: This 2 Denier was issued under Archduke Albert VII and Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, co-sovereigns of the Spanish Netherlands, including the Lordship of Tournai, from 1598 to 1621. The 1606-1617 period encompasses the Twelve Years' Truce (1609-1621), a crucial era of relative peace and economic resurgence following the Dutch Revolt. Their stable governance fostered commerce, allowing local mints like Tournai to issue copper coinage, reinforcing their authority and facilitating daily transactions across the southern provinces.

Artistry: The specific engraver for this copper denomination from Tournai is largely unrecorded. Its design, however, aligns with the early Baroque style prevalent in the Spanish Habsburg territories. Obverses typically display the crowned, intertwined monograms of Albert and Isabella ('A' and 'I'), symbolizing their joint sovereignty. The reverse commonly features the Archdukes' arms or a simplified civic emblem, executed with a functional rather than elaborate aesthetic, characteristic of everyday circulating copper issues.

Technical/Grading: Struck in copper, weighing 2.54 grams and measuring 23 millimeters, this 2 Denier exhibits technical qualities typical of its era and denomination. High-points for strike and wear generally include the crown surmounting the monogram or arms, and intricate shield details. Given the period's minting technology and copper's properties, specimens often display variable planchet quality, minor flan irregularities, and frequently a somewhat softer or uneven strike, especially towards the periphery.