The mint
Source of income: the right to mint
An ancient tradition the minting of coins
Opposite the castle, the Mint building still stands, where this right was exercised. Every sunday, the Master of the Mint is present at the castle to explain the minting process and its history. Feel free to ask him about the infamous reputation of the local mint.
The right to mint
The Lords and Counts of den Bergh had several mints at or near their castles. Of the former mint sites, only the one in ’s-Heerenberg still exists. Besides Huis Bergh, they also had mints at Hedel and Stevensweert.
Minting experienced growth particularly in the 16th century. Monetary circulation increased throughout Europe, partly due to silver production in Central Europe and the import of silver from South America. At the same time, the need for control and centralization of the monetary system grew, not only to combat abuse but also to better regulate revenue.
Soon there was no longer any place for private mints. The lords entitled to mint tried to resist the new rules for as long as possible. Ultimately, stricter government measures and the unrest of the Eighty Years' War led to the closure of the Bergh mints. The mint of ’s-Heerenberg closed in 1582, while that of Stevensweert remained in use until 1632.
Make your own coin
The cellar of the keep of Huis Bergh Castle has been converted into a minting workshop. Staff are present every sunday to tell you all about their work and the sometimes rather liberal approach to rules in earlier times.
For a small fee, you can mint a coin yourself. Throughout the year, there are coin-minting demonstrations on sundays at 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM. In July and August, the demonstrations also take place on thursdays. The demonstrations are included in the admission price.
Are you looking for a fun group outing? The minting demonstration can also be booked for groups. Please contact us for more information.
The Mint Master
In the painting, you see Clemens van Eembrugge with his companions. In 1577, he was employed as a mint master at the Bergh mint in 's-Heerenberg. In this capacity, he was in the service of the lord of the mint: Count Willem IV van den Bergh. The relationship between the lord and the master soon deteriorated.
After having been in office for less than a year, Clemens was dismissed. The Bergh mint produced too many coins with insufficient precious metal.