Sweden 1660 2/3 riksdaler
This specimen was lot 3079 in Sincona sale 87 (Zürich, October 2023), where it sold for 1,500 CHF (about US$2,020 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SCHWEDEN, Karl X. Gustav, 1654-1660. 2/3 Riksdaler 1660, Stockholm. Auf seinen Tod in Göteborg am 13. Februar. Auswurfmünze zur Bestattung des Königs in der Riddarholmskirche am 4. November. Selten. NGC MS61. Feine Patina. (kingdom of Sweden, Charles X Gustav, 1654-60, two-thirds riksdaler of 1660, Stockholm mint, on his death on February 13. Largesse coin for the king's burial in Riddarholm Church on November 4th. Rare, Nicely toned.)"
The Scandinavian countries and Sweden in particular, have a tradition of striking largesse coins to be thrown to the crowd on state occasions such as weddings, funerals and coronations. This scarce type is catalogued in the SCWC as an eight mark, but we follow the auctioneers and Ahlstrom in calling this a two-thirds riksdaler.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver.
Catalog reference: KM XM28, Delzanno 52. AAH 39. Hildebrand I, 359, 47.
- Bjorne Ahlström, Yngve Almer and Bengt Hemmingson, Sveriges Mynt, 1521-1977, the Coinage of Sweden. Stockholm: Numismatika Bokforlaget AB, 1976.
- Delzanno, Roberto, Myntårsboken 2022, Sveriges Mynt 995-2021, 1:a upplagen, Stockholm, 2021.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Unusual World Coins, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 87, World Coins and Medals, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2023.
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