Lot 843
Sweden. Silver Riksdaler, 1642. Dav-4525. Christina. Facing half-length bust. Reverse: Christ standing with orb, crowned arms left. Scratch in reverse field but boldly struck on an excellent, broad flan, with traces of luster beneath lovely old silvery lilac toning. Scarce this nice. NGC graded AU-50.
At a time in Europe when a queen as sole ruler of her nation was less of a novelty, yet still uncommon, Christina Vasa of Sweden was, to modern sensibilities, one of the most remarkable monarchs of her era. Among her many qualities, Christina's religious tolerance, lack of racial prejudice, and commitment to the rights of members of other religious traditions was unheard of in her day. As a ruler, she was competent and decisive, yet independent, and one who exercised considerable political aptitude and sophistication in both internal and foreign affairs. She was a driving force in ending the Thirty Years War by negotiating the Peace at Westphalia -- to rather mixed feelings and opinions from her contemporaries. The Thirty Years War had devastated Europe and left Sweden financially ruined. Christina worked assiduously to expand trade, her large silver coins performing within the same parameters as the other Thaler-sized trade coins of Europe. In base-metal coinages, however, she initiated one of the more novel "oddities & curiosities" in European history. Because of Sweden's wealth in copper, Christina experimented with establishing a coinage that reflected the metal's true market worth, rather than an assigned token value. Thus the prodigious platmynt, or "plate money," of often enormous size and weight, remains as a testament to Christina's integrity. Nonetheless it is her fairly rare large silver coins which show the portrait of this remarkable queen.
Estimated Value $1,000 - 1,500.
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| Realized $3,720 |
