Journée d'étude - Numismatics and Religion in the Low Countries

5th international conference of the Royal Numismatic Society of Belgium

8 November 2025 Royal Library of Belgium, Brussels

The contribution of numismatics to the political and economic history of the former Low Countries is commonly taken for granted by now. This conference will demonstrate that numismatics also sheds light on the religious history of the region, which is less acknowledged. Christian symbols – crosses, Agnus Dei, Globus Cruciger, etc. – have been depicted on coins, medals and tokens from the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period. Monasteries and bishoprics always had a seal and often minted coins. Many churches issued mereaux, which the faithful could exchange for goods and services. Medieval pilgrimages, often associated with the cult of relics, led to the creation of badges that pilgrims wore on their clothing, as well as stamped metal ex-votos that they left at the place of worship.

The Wars of Religion, begun under the reign of Philip II, turned the political destiny of the region upside down by separating the Northern (Protestant) and Southern (Catholic) Low Countries: Geuzen medals, tokens and medals of proselytism or satire are valuable witnesses to this. The Counter-Reformation initiated after the Council of Trent (1545-1563) set out to revive the devotion of the faithful by resortingto a new culture of religious images, which included devotional medals. These propaganda objects, which could be worn ostentatiously or hidden under clothing, honoured the Virgin, the saints, the Eucharist, the papacy, suffrage for the dead and other practices that were controversial with the ideas of the Reformation. They replaced the badges in the ancient pilgrimage sites, such as for Our-Lady-of Halle, and they flourished along the history of Catholicism in the region until the 20th century – think of the medals linked to the Marian apparitions of Beauraing and Banneux (1932-1933) – before fading under the effects of Vatican II and the secularization of Western Europe.

The presentations will showcase the manifold contributions of numismatics to the understanding of the religious history of the former Low Countries (North and South), from the Middle Ages to the present day, based on a wide scope of numismatic objects. Registration. Attendance is free but registration is mandatory for everyone before 20 October (contact: giel.verbeelen@hotmail.com, with pierre.petit@ulb.be in Cc). Attending the dinner after the conference (19.00 h, Cercle des Voyageurs) is offered to the speakers, to the working and corresponding members of the RNSB.

Other participants are welcome at the dinner for a fee of 60€.

Pierre Petit