Sweden 1857-ST ducat Fr-90a
This specimen was lot 30644 in Heritage sale 3040 (Chicago, April 2015), where it sold for $1,410. The catalog description[1] noted, "Oscar I gold Ducat 1857-ST MS64 NGC, Stockholm mint. Small date variety. A phenomenal specimen with splendid original tone and excitingly sharp design features. A few minor wisps within the fields confirm the grade, but the overall allure of this piece is striking. Scarce in this elite quality, and with a fairly small mintage for the series, this coin is well-deserving of a strong bid." Ducats of various types were issued in Sweden throughout the nineteenth century until 1868. Collecting Swedish coins is complicated by the multiple currency reforms the country underwent during the period. In 1798, 48 skilling = 1 riksdaler species and 2 riksdaler species = 1 ducat (the ducat was the same size as the coin shown here and the riksdaler species was 29.36 g, 0.878 fine silver). In 1830, 32 skilling banco = 1 riksdaler riksgald and 4 riksdaler riksgalds = 1 riksdaler species (the riksdaler species became 34 g, 0.750 fine silver). In 1855, the skilling was dropped and 100 öre = 4 riksdaler riksmynt = 1 riksdaler species (the riksdaler species remained unchanged). In 1873, the riksdaler species was dropped and 100 öre = 1 krona (the krona, at 7.5 g, 0.800 fine silver, was slightly smaller than the old riksdaler riksmynt). The system adopted in 1873 is still in use today, the Swedes having recently declined to adopt the euro.
Recorded mintage: 27,000.
Specification: 3.49 g, .976 fine gold, .109 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: KM 668, Fr-90a.
- Bjorne Ahlström, Yngve Almer and Bengt Hemmingson, Sveriges Mynt, 1521-1977, the Coinage of Sweden. Stockholm: Numismatika Bokförlaget AB, 1976.
- Delzanno, Roberto, Myntårsboken 2022, Sveriges Mynt 995-2021, 1:a upplagen, Stockholm, 2021.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and David Michaels, Heritage Signature Auction 3040, featuring the Santa Maria, the Alan Dean and the Valley View Life Collections, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2015.
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