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 Replies: 9 / Views: 2,131 |
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New Member
Sweden
6 Posts |
Hello!
I am a Swedish archaeology, working to identify a certain coin that was found in the 1840s here in Sweden. Sadly, I do not have the coin or photos of it, and am only working with a 19th century description of it. I would like help in identifying what the coin could have been more exactly, in terms of numismatic terminology.
Anyone who can help me solve this puzzle will be credited with this in a short article in the Swedish Numismatic Journal (SNT) which I am currently writing.
Thank you. Best wishes, Anton. //
Description of the coin (translated): "Spanish gold coin from the reign of king Charles I. 1 Swedish inch [= c. 24.7 mm] in diameter; weight nearly 1/4 Swedish lot [= c. 3.29 g], on the coin's obverse: a shield with a two-headed eagle; on the reverse: a shield, divided into sixteen squares with arms."
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Valued Member
Spain
125 Posts |
Hello Anton That's not easy without an image. It does not look like a Spanish coin from Spain or South America. It looks like an European Empire coin ¿Maybe a 1/2 gouden reaal from Spanish Low Countries? https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3904644Regards! Edited by txabs
01/23/2020 06:04 am
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Moderator
 United States
34413 Posts |
@SA, first welcome to CCF. Second, yes of course having a picture is always easier than just a description. In thinking about about the design elements that you describe, this sounds more like a Half Gouden from the Spanish Netherlands than anything from Spain. See this page on numista.com which seems to be a rough match for your coin. I do note that it is slightly larger in diameter and slightly heavier so could be a different denomination or else your coin has been shaved around the rim to harvest gold. https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces102334.html"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Valued Member
Spain
125 Posts |
We both get the same conclusion Spence, it looks like a 1/2 gouden reaal. There is no more denominations with that description on main catalogues. Maybe coin has lost some parts while it was buried, maybe the planchet was a bit smaller in diameter, it happens with silver coins. weight is correct, some coins known are slightly behind 3.50g with no loose of mass https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4173709This coin is composed by gold .750 + silver .188. If you can get a photo we could help you to identify mint, mintmark is on 12h in observe or reverse, it depends. - Open Hand - Antwerp - Fleur de lis - Brugge - Flower - Dordtrecht - Star - Maastrich - Cross Crosslet - Nijmegen - Cross Crosslet turned 45º with a letter C inside - Kampen Regards! |
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Moderator
United States
34413 Posts |
Yes @txabs, it is always gratifying to have two CCF members come to the same conclusion simultaneously.  "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7942 Posts |
Nice collaboration on this!
@SwedichArchaeo, if you do not have this artifact, is it now in a museum somewhere? Or has it been lost?
One of our other members, 1c5d has commented that the large trade in commodities (grain, etc.) across the Baltic sea in the late medieval and early modern era may be the reason coins like this are found in places like Sweden, Pomerania, Poland, Livonia, etc.
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New Member
 Sweden
6 Posts |
Hello everyone! Thank you for your kind replies. (I am somewhat confused to why this thread was moved to the ancient and medieval forum, as the Middle Ages were over in the 16th century. Oh well.)
Looks like it could indeed fit a 1/2 gouden reaal! That's amazing. I'll be looking up find patterns for other Spanish Netherlands coins in the province.
@tdziemia: This site is actually on the Swedish West Coast, in the province of Bohuslän, which would have been Dano-Norwegian in the 16th century.
The artifact is likely --- I say likely because I can't be sure --- still kept in the Royal Coin Cabinet of Sweden, but since the museum has been undergoing renovations for years and has closed down its research functions I have no way of ascertaining this currently. In the future, maybe.
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Moderator
United States
34413 Posts |
Quote:
(I am somewhat confused to why this thread was moved to the ancient and medieval forum, as the Middle Ages were over in the 16th century. Oh well.) I'm glad we could be of some help. I asked to have this thread moved as on this forum, we define "ancient and medieval" as up to the end of the 16th Century. Arbitrary to be sure, but helpful for us to keep to a single definition when trying to search for specific prior threads. "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
 to the community. |
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Moderator
United States
188660 Posts |
to the Community! |
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Replies: 9 / Views: 2,131 |
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Posted 01/23/2020 06:03 am
