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| Issuer | Kingdom of Denmark |
|---|---|
| Year | 1653-1657 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Central field dominated by the crowned royal cypher of Frederik III, composed of an interlaced 'F3' monogram in bold relief beneath a large ornate crown surmounted by a cross. The monogram is enclosed within an inner beaded circle, with the outer legend reading II · MARCK · DANSKE and the date 1657 distributed around the periphery. The lettering is rendered in Latin characters, evenly spaced around the coin's circumference. The overall design is characteristic of mid-17th century Danish hammered coinage, with a slightly irregular flan consistent with hand-struck production. |
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| Obverse lettering | II · MARCK · DANSKE : 1657 |
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| Additional information |
Frederik III's reign opened under catastrophic financial pressure — the First Northern War against Sweden (1655–1660) drained treasury reserves and forced repeated debasements across Danish silver coinage. The 2 Mark issues of this period reflect that strain directly: the .671 fineness represents a deliberate reduction from earlier standards, sanctioned by a crown that needed metal to stay in circulation rather than be hoarded or melted.
KM#191 spans a five-year emission window, which typically indicates retooling of dies mid-series. Survivors in consistent condition are uncommon; wartime circulation was brutal on large-denomination silver.