Denmark 1618 2 krone Dav-3516

Sincona sale 47, lot 1276

Stack's Bowers sale of the L. E. Bruun Collection, lot 1025

The first specimen was lot 1276 in Sincona sale 47 (Zürich, May 2018), where it sold for 1,200 CHF (about US$1,440 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"DENMARK, Christian IV. 1588-1648. 2 Kroner 1618, Kopenhagen. Gutes sehr schön. Kleine Kratzer und Graffito auf dem Avers. (kingdom of Denmark, Christian IV, 1588-1648, two kroner of 1618, Copenhagen mint. Good very fine, Small scratches and graffito on obverse.)"

This type was struck 1618-19 in several varieties (including Dav-3516A, -3516B, -3516C). It is scarce. Danish crowns of the seventeenth century range from the scarce to the obscenely rare. Either they were melted extensively or the poverty of the king prevented large issues or both. The second specimen was lot 1025 in Stack's Bowers sale of the L. E. Bruun Collection (Copenhagen, September 2024), where it sold for €9,000 (about US$9,974 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[2] noted,

"Beautiful Corona Danica Featuring Striking Design Elements, DENMARK. 2 Krone, 1618. Elsinore Mint; Privy Mark: Crossed Clubs. Christian IV. NGC MS-61. Mintmaster: Johan Post. A nicely toned and highly lustrous example, boldly struck with an insignificant die-break at the lower reverse.
This beautiful broad Krone (Corona Danica) is in many ways the archetypical coin of Christian IV. The denomination, inspired by the English Crown, was introduced in 1618 with the intention that it should pass for 1-½ Speciedaler but the king had arranged for the silver to be debased to pocket a sum for his own slender purse. This was of course quickly found out and the foreign merchants refused to accept these new "Kroner" at face value. Among the public, the king's abbreviated royal motto, RFP (Regnat Firmat Pietas / "Justice strengthens the realms") was soon interpreted as R(iget) F(attes) P(enge) ("The kingdom is in want of money")."

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 37.82 g, .859 fine silver, the first specimen is 37.57 g, the second specimen is 37.85 g.

Catalog reference: Dav-3516, KM 60.1. The second specimen is KM-61.1; Hede-105B; Sieg-87.6; Schou-25; Bruun-5040.

Source:

Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1600-1700, Galesburg, IL, 1974.
Siegs Møntcatalog 2016: Danmark med Omrader, 48 ed., Frederikssund, Siegs Forlag ApS, 2015.
^[1]Richter, Jürg, Auction 47, World Coins and Medals, Coins and Medals from Switzerland, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2018.
^[2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio, Jeremy Bostwick and Henrik Holt Christensen, The L. E. Bruun Collection - A Corpus of Scandinavian Monetary History Part I, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.

Links to:

Denmark 1618 2 krone Dav-3516

Navigation menu

Search