Sweden (14)78 1/2 ortug
This specimen was lot 6597 in CNG Triton XXIX (New York, January 2026), where it sold for $1,225. The catalog description[1] noted, "SWEDEN. Sten Sture den äldre (the Elder). Viceroy, 1470–1497 and 1501-1503. AR Half Örtug. Stockholm mint. Dated 1478. Large S / Crown. Toned, edge splits. VF. Rare. From the Robert Levinson Collection." Sten Sture the Elder was regent of Sweden in the late fifteenth century as the Union of Kalmar gradually broke up. Wikipedia comments,
"Örtug or ortig was a medieval currency unit in Sweden. It was originally minted as a silver coin in 1370 during the reign of king Albert of Sweden. The coin weighed about 1.3 grams and consisted of 81% silver. As time passed, the örtug was debased: during the reign of Eric of Pomerania, the örtug contained 0.88 grams of silver; under Christian I, 0.7 grams; and in 1534 only 0.54 grams of silver. During the reign of Gustav Vasa (1523–1560), the monetary system of Sweden was reformed: an örtug was now subdivided into 12 pennings, not 8 as before, while still valued as one third of an öre."
This may be the first dated coin of Sweden. One mark = 24 örtug.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.62 g, silver, 17 mm diameter; this specimen 17 mm diameter, 0.80 g, 6 h axis.
Catalog reference: Levinson VI-3b (this coin illustrated in enlargement); Delzanno 343.
- Delzanno, Roberto, Myntårsboken 2022, Sveriges Mynt 995-2021, 1:a upplagen, Stockholm, 2021.
- Levinson, Robert, The Early Dated Coins of Europe, 1234-1500: An Illustrated Catalogue and Guide to dated medieval coinage. Clifton, NJ: Coin & Currency Institute, 2007.
- [1]Gasvoda, Michael, Victor England, Eric McFadden, Dave Michaels, Bill Dalzell and Lance Hickman, Triton XXIX, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, LLC, 2025.
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