Netherlands: “Steek-Penning (a bribe, a corrupt payment to buy an illegitimate favor), Vespasianus,

Netherlands: “Steek-Penning (a bribe, a corrupt payment to buy an illegitimate favor), Vespasianus, Pecunia non Olet” (money does not stink), satirical token. 1985.The latin quote and portrait refers to Emperor Vespasian’s response to criticism for an imposed tax on urine! Urine was used for commercial/industrial purposes including tanning leather and cleaning clothes….In his description of money and the circulation of commodities generally, Karl Marx refered to this phrase when he observed in Kapital volume 1 “since every commodity disappears when it becomes money it is impossible to tell from the money itself how it got into the hands of its possessor, or what article has been changed into it. ‘Non olet’, from whatever source it may come.” -- source link

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