2 Ducats - Christian V

Christian V came to the Norwegian throne in 1670 and moved quickly to consolidate absolutist rule, formalized through the Lex Regia of 1665 — the most explicit written codification of royal absolutism in European history. High-denomination gold issues like this one functioned less as circulating currency than as diplomatic instruments and gift pieces, distributed at court to signal royal favor. Norwegian gold coinage of this reign is genuinely scarce; the mint at Christiania operated under chronic supply constraints, and surviving examples in any condition are infrequently encountered.