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What is an alms token?

The alms token was a subcategory of token coins used in the Middle Ages that served multiple purposes: bookkeeping, payment, gaming, and the distribution of aid to the poor. Indeed, during the Ancien Régime those "Méreaux de distribution" functioned as exchange tokens redeemable for food, money and other basic necessities provided for the most destitute.

Usually made of lead, copper, tin, brass, or silver, these tokens were most often cast in moulds, though more rarely they were struck with a die.

The alms tokens could be struck by the Poor Tables or the Holy Spirit Tables, as well as by private foundations.

They bear witness to the social and religious networks of charity in pre modern Europe.

MER.001. Alms token of the Busleyden Foundation, brass, 17th century.

Obverse Legend : D. MARIA DE BVSLEYDEN and arms

Reverse Legend : BRVSSEGHEM, 22

In this case, this alms token was struck by the Van Brusseghem foundation (also known under the name of Holy Spirit House or Our-Lady House) which itself had brought together several other small foundations. Among those small foundations, the Marie de Busleyden foundation, created with an important bequest of Marie in 1638, provided aid mainly for widows and orphans.

The Van Brusseghem foundation took care of food didtributions (bread, meat, herrings),distributions in cash and, occasionally, raw materials distributions for heating purposes such as wood or coal distributions.