8 Mark - Karl IX

Karl IX spent much of his reign ruling as regent before finally crowning himself king in 1604, an act that required him to depose — and later execute — his nephew Sigismund, the reigning Catholic monarch. The 8 Mark was the prestige denomination of this period, struck in limited quantities for use in high-value transactions and diplomatic payments rather than everyday commerce. Surviving examples are almost always found with adjustment marks and die cracks, a consequence of the Stockholm mint's chronic difficulty maintaining consistent planchet preparation at this weight.