Norway 1861 1/2 specie daler
This specimen was lot 1240 in Stack's Bowers sale of the L. E. Bruun Collection (Copenhagen, September 2024), where it sold for €31,200 (about US$34,576 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"Appealing Gem 1861 1/2 Speciedaler Featuring a Frosty Charm, Only 500 Struck, NORWAY. 1/2 Speciedaler, 1861. Kongsberg Mint. Carl XV. NGC MS-65. Mintmaster: Caspar Herman Langberg. Mintage: 500. Frosty and glowing with a sparkling appeal that is reminiscent of the icy glow of a diamond, this piece is appropriately a Gem, scoring very highly on on eye appeal and technical grade. Only a few wisps of toning are seen at the peripheries, with the lustrous frost never far removed. Here is a coin that defies expectations reaching a grade that no other example can claim. Very rarely seen for sale."
In 1907, Norway obtained a divorce from Sweden and became an independent kingdom under a Danish prince. Even before passing under Swedish rule in 1814, Norway had enjoyed a separate coinage from Denmark. This type was also struck in 1862, which date is scarce but not rare.
Recorded mintage: 500 plus 13 with initial "B".
Specification: 14.45 g, 0.875 fine silver, this specimen 14.42 g.
Catalog reference: KM-322; Sieg-11; NM-8B; Bruun-11073.
- Bjorne Ahlström, Yngve Almer and Bengt Hemmingson, Sveriges Mynt, 1521-1977, the Coinage of Sweden. Stockholm: Numismatika Bokforlaget AB, 1976.
- Aamlid, J. O., B. Ahlström, K Jonsson and G. Thesen, Norges Mynter fra 995-1992, Stockholm: Numismatika Bokförlaget AB, 1991.
- Thesen, Gunnar, Georg Klammt and Eirik Mye, Norges Mynter, perioden 1814-2023, Oslo: Nordfrim Norge, 2023.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Siegs Møntcatalog 2016: Danmark med Omrader, 48 ed., Frederikssund, Siegs Forlag ApS, 2015.
- [1]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.
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