Counter Token (Wolf Lauffer II) ND

Reverse

At top, a hand from the clouds holds a scale (which is weighing a man on left pan holding a cross, against a skull and a bag of money on right pan). On the left is standing a man clothed only in a loincloth; holding a compass in his lowered right hand, and a square and a plumbline in his raised left hand. To the right is standing a man in a cape, with a book in raised left hand; and below a dog, standing right and eating.
In exergue numbers of Psalms 10.41

Lettering:
GELT MACHT SCHELCK
PSA. X. XLI

Translation:
Money makes bad
Psalms 10:41 [or Psalms 41:10]

Engraver: Wolf Lauffer II

Comment

Mint: Nürnberg (Nuremberg) - Rechenpfennig
Date from: Circa AD 1619
Copper alloy jetton of Wolf Lauffer II, allegorical type with male figure on one side and
 two men weighing man against money and a skull, compare Mitchiner p.492, c.1619
Ich hab die angeneme Kunst, die macht Gerechtigkeit und Gunst (Wolf Laufer eb. Nr. 32354) u. dgl.
 Lettering coloured: green = fairly certain, yellow = possible ...


Publications: J. Neumann, Beschreibung der bekanntesten Kupfermünzen. 6 Teile in 4 Bänden (1858-1872 Index 1967) Nr. 32354; C. F. Gebert, Die Nürnberger Rechenpfennigschläger, MBNG 35, 1917, 1-138; A. Nagl, Die Rechenpfennige und die operative Arithmetik, Numismatische Zeitschrift 1888, 309-368.

 Images of a (c. 1670) token (23mm) with (Wolf Lauffer III) similar designs:

That token has different obverse lettering: WOLFF LAVFFER RECHPFENGMACHER

 Comment: Rechenpfennige served up to the Middle Ages and the early modern times the calculation on the accounting board. The computational or Raitpfennige (also jetons) were produced by Rechenpfennigmachern or Flinderleinschlägern. In many cases, their portrayal referred to politics and history. The account payer Wolf Laufer here represents the "making money" as an art that brings justice and favour. On the downside, though, he talks about money making a bad character. This 17th century depiction is packed with symbols.

 Additional pictures - from Albator:


 From an 1828 book - Johann Christian Reinhardt
Kupfer-Kabinet, or: Description of a large number of copper coins of modern times , Volume 2