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1/2 Speciedaler - Frederik III small bust, legend starts under bust
| Issuer | Norway |
|---|---|
| Year | 1651 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 14.36 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A crowned, rampant lion with two tails, passant and facing left, grasping a curved halberd — the traditional heraldic symbol of the Kingdom of Norway — depicted within a beaded inner circle. The royal motto appears as a circumscribed Latin legend in the outer field, with the mint year and mintmaster's initials (FG) positioned at the conclusion of the inscription. A beaded ring along the rim frames the design. |
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| Reverse lettering | : DOMINUS (h) PROVIDEBIT : 16 49 FG (Translation: The Lord will be my providence.) |
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| Additional information |
Frederik III had held the Danish-Norwegian throne for only four years when this piece was struck, and his position was far from secure. The aristocratic Rigsråd still held substantial checks on royal power — absolute monarchy wouldn't be imposed until 1660, after the catastrophic losses of the Dano-Swedish wars forced a constitutional reckoning. The small bust variety with legend starting under the bust is catalogued separately by Hede and Brekke precisely because die placement was inconsistent across this issue, not a later engraver's whim.
Norwegian specie production in 1651 drew on Kongsberg silver, the mine having reopened in earnest during the 1620s.