8 Mark - Charles XII Type I

Charles XII inherited the Swedish throne at fourteen following his father's sudden death in April 1697, and these coins were struck during his regency period before he assumed personal rule. The multiple KM references reflect die and mint mark variations across Stockholm production — the series is not uniform, and attributing individual pieces to SM#30 subcategories requires close attention to the crown type above the shield and the precise form of the royal cypher.

Within two years of this coin's production, Charles would drag Sweden into the Great Northern War, a conflict that ultimately bankrupted the treasury and ended the era of Swedish great-power status entirely.