The 1925 Norse medal was not the only "related" numismatic item collected by yesterday's classic commemorative series aficionado. Many collectors also added the 1938 Swedish 2 Kronor to their cabinets as the coin was issued by the Swedish Government in conjunction with the US' Delaware Tercentenary half-dollar.
The Delaware half-dollar was sponsored and promoted by the Delaware Tercentenary Commission, based in Wilmington, Delaware. This group sold the half-dollar, several commemorative medals, various commemorative publications and a series of six commemorative plates created by the English firm Spode. Here's my post on the 1938 Delaware half-dollar:
http://goccf.com/t/118796Read More: Commems CollectionSales of the Swedish 2 Kronor coin were supported here in the US by the Swedish-American Tercentenary Association. In addition to the commemorative coin, the group also made available to collectors commemorative medals of bronze and silver that were struck in Sweden. To make acquisition easier for US collectors, the items could be ordered from the Association's US mailing address.
The Swedish coin features a portrait of King Gustav V on its obverse and a depiction of the Kalmar Nyckel -- the larger of the two ships that sailed from Sweden in 1638 with settlers who would found the New Sweden colony in what is now Delaware. The reverse also features the Swedish Crown flanked by the commemorative dates ‘1638 -- 1938'. The inscription on the reverse translates as "New Sweden in Memory of Sweden." The coin is 31 mm in diameter (nearly the same size as a US half-dollar which is 31.6 mm), and was struck in 0.800 fine silver. Just over 500,000 of the coins were struck.
The small ‘G' found at the lower right on the reverse is not a mint mark, it is the initial of the Mint Master at the Swedish Mint -- the ‘G' represents Alf Grabe. To the left of the ‘G' on the opposite side of the reverse is a small bust that represents King Eric or Eric the Saint of Sweden. His portrait serves as a mint mark indicating the coin was struck at the mint in Stockholm; the Coat-of-Arms of Stockholm depicts Eric the Saint.
The 2 Kronor coin was known to US commemorative collectors at the time of its initial release due to its promotion during the 1938 tercentenary celebrations; notice of the coin was also published in the
ANA's
The Numismatist at the time. The Swedish coin was also often included alongside the listings of US commemorative coins in dealer advertisements in the years following the coin's release. The coin has been referenced within the Delaware half-dollar listing in the "
Red Book" since its first edition in 1947.
Shown here are two examples of the Swedish coin, one brilliant and one toned. The toned coin is one of five that I acquired when I purchased the original holder/mailer also shown below; evidently the coins spent much of their life in the cardboard holder and gained their toning because of it. You can make out the holder-caused tab toning on the coin's obverse.
While the coin is fairly common and almost always available, finding a true Gem is difficult. Regarding the holder, I believe it to be one of the scarcer original holders in my collection, as I haven't seen another for sale nor even seen a reference to it. I'm sure there are others out there, but they just don't appear with any regularity. The holder is 3-1/3" wide by 5-1/4" tall.
Lastly, I present one of the Swedish commemorative medals; the example shown is silver. These medals are rather tough to come by, and thus my example is not a Gem example. I purchased my silver example from a dealer in Sweden a number of years ago, but my bronze example was purchased here in the US!
Enjoy!
1938 Sweden 2 Kronor (Brilliant) - Obverse
1938 Sweden 2 Kronor (Brilliant) - Reverse
1938 Sweden 2 Kronor (Toned) - Obverse
1938 Sweden 2 Kronor (Toned) -- Reverse
1938 Sweden 2 Kronor Original Holder/Mailer -- Front Panel
1938 Sweden 2 Kronor Original Holder/Mailer -- Interior Panels
1938 Sweden 2 Kronor Original Holder/Mailer -- Back Panel
1938 Sweden Commemorative Medal -- Obverse
1938 Sweden Commemorative Medal -- Reverse
Posted 08/07/2012 7:45 pm
