Sweden (1441-48) ortug
This specimen was lot 11208 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice Online Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2025), where it sold for €168 (about US$175). The catalog description[1] noted, "SWEDEN. Örtug, ND (1441-48). Kristoffer av Bayern. NGC EF Details--Cleaned. Iridescent toning. From the L. E. Bruun Collection." Christopher of Bavaria (Danish and Norwegian: Christoffer; Swedish: Kristofer; 26 February 1416 – 5/6 January 1448) was King of Denmark (1440–48, as Christopher III), Sweden (1441–48) and Norway (1442–48) during the era of the Kalmar Union. 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."
One mark = 24 örtug.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.500 fine silver, this specimen 0.86 g.
Catalog reference: Delzanno-326; Lagerqvist 2a-b; Bruun-11288.
- Delzanno, Roberto, Myntårsboken 2022, Sveriges Mynt 995-2021, 1:a upplagen, Stockholm, 2021.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, February 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients, World Coins & World Paper Money, David B. Simpson Medals & World Coins Part 1, Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection, and Selections from the L. E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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