5 Ducats - Gustaw II Adolf Swedish Occupation

Elbing — modern Elbląg in northern Poland — was a prosperous Hanseatic trading city that came under Swedish military control during the Polish-Swedish War. Gustav II Adolf granted the city the right to strike coinage as a practical measure: paying troops and conducting trade required hard currency, and the Swedish crown was not in a position to supply it reliably from Stockholm. The city mint operated under Swedish authority but drew on local merchant wealth to fund production.

Five-ducat multiples of this period were never intended for ordinary commerce. Pieces like this moved between merchants, commanders, and diplomats. Kop. 9630 is a recognized rarity.