Old Sails: Early Carrack on Krauwinckel Jeton

Jetons are great sources of ships. In this post I share one of my favorites: A carrack (or nao) with spectacular details.
   This counting piece was issued by Hans Krauwinckel II of Nuremberg (Germany) between 1586 and 1635. It is made of bronze alloy, measuring 29mm across. The mint (actually, guild) master's name is clearly spelled out in the legend: (cross) HANS (rose) KRAVWI NCKEL (rose) SCHIF. The word SCHIF translates: ship.
   I was unable to find this specific jeton in Mitchiner, but it is similar to 1597 and 1686a and is described as "Ship of Paris" sailing left. This ship was part of the Arms of the City (and it appeared in many forms over the years).

This jeton was set aside as a keepsake and well taken care of
for nearly 400 years. I wonder who owned it and how long it
set in a drawer before it was passed between collectors.

   The vessel is bold and has several interesting features to ponder. First, it is a fully-rigged ship with foremast, main mast, and mizzenmast. Each mast carries a single square sail, although one is tied, so we cannot be sure. Two sails are unfurled and billowing from wind blowing from right to left. Pennants atop each mast are flying in the same direction.
   Overall, the sails suggest a port tact. Hence, the bow is left on the coin. The mast on the right is the smallest and sits atop the aft castle. The three-layered castle heavy on the right as would be expected for an aft castle. The forecastle is shown with a railing.
   The hull is sharply curved with bold nails and planking. Carracks were typically carvel-built, but the bold rendering on this jeton gives the impression of a clicker-built hull, as the nails follow the board edges. Either way, the hull appears wide and deep.
   Carracks represented a combination of Mediterranean and North Atlantic ship designs. The fore- and aft castles were typically tall, producing a pronounced U-shape with the lower waist in the center. Carracks were fully-rigged with three (sometimes four) masts. By the mid-fifteenth century, topsails were added (this ship has none).
   All told, this ship is fascinating and beautifully engraved with many details.
   This jeton was issued at a time when counting boards were gradually being replaced by written tabulations using Arabic numbers. As such, jetons were becoming more popular as recognition pr presentation pieces. As such, the designs became more elaborate and attractive -- this was the high-point for Nuremberg jetons. Certainly, this ship design represented a significant improvement over the previously issued "ship penny" (depicting a single-masted cog) that was produced by the thousands in Nuremberg in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.