Sweden

Swedish coinage through four centuries

Sweden’s coinage changed many times between the 16th and the 20th century. Silver coins dominated at first, but in the 17th century Sweden became one of Europe’s great copper producers, and copper was used for coins on a scale seen almost nowhere else. In 1873 the country adopted the krona and öre, the same decimal system Norway adopted that year and put into use from 1874. The coins in this category follow these changes from 1573 to 1939.

What is in this category?

• Johan III: a daler of 1573/69 and a 2 öre of 1573.
• The 17th century: copper 1/2 öre of 1625 and 1 öre of 1626 from the reign of Gustav II Adolf, and a 1/6 öre of 1686.
• The 18th century: a 2 daler of 1711 and 1/2 daler of 1731 and 1749.
• The 19th century: a 1/3 riksdaler of 1818, 1/6 skilling of 1832 and 1839, and a 1/3 skilling of 1847.
• Krona coins: 2 kronor 1907, 5 öre 1919 (a choice example) and 1 krona 1939.
• A medal for the funeral of the king in 1844, and the book Världens största mynt. Svenska plåtmynt 1644–1776 about Swedish plate money.

Copper, daler and plate money

Because Sweden had abundant copper from mines such as Falun, the state used copper for money, and from 1644 to 1776 it even issued large copper plates stamped with their value, known as plate money. The daler, first struck in silver in the 16th century, survived as a unit of account in both silver and copper values. This dual system makes Swedish coins of the 17th and 18th centuries complex and rewarding to study.

Sweden and Norway in union

From 1814 to 1905 Sweden and Norway shared a king. The Swedish skilling coins of Karl XIV Johan and Oscar I are therefore close relatives of Norwegian coins of the same period, which you can find under Norway 1814 – 1874.

What affects quality?

Early copper coins were struck on uneven flans and are rarely found in high grade, so a clear date and crown are important. For 19th- and 20th-century coins, mint lustre and the absence of cleaning or scratches make a big difference. More coins from the rest of Europe are found under Europe.