Catalog
Denier - Olof Skötkonung
| Issuer | Sweden |
|---|---|
| Year | 995-1022 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Crude facing bust of King Olof Skötkonung depicted in the Viking Age style, with rudimentary facial features rendered in low relief, surrounded by a circular legend in uncial Latin characters. The portrait, heavily stylized and consistent with early Scandinavian hammered coinage of the late 10th to early 11th century, occupies the majority of the field. The overall design reflects strong Anglo-Saxon influence, particularly that of Æthelred II's Long Cross type, adapted by Swedish moneyers of the period. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A cross with arms terminating in triple crescents divides the reverse field into four quadrants, each containing a portion of the circular legend in uncial Latin characters. This cross type is characteristic of early Swedish Viking Age coinage and closely follows Anglo-Saxon prototypes. The irregular flan and crude workmanship are consistent with the primitive minting techniques employed in Scandinavia during the reign of Olof Skötkonung. |
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| Additional information |
Olof Skötkonung's coinage is the earliest documented in Swedish history, produced at a mint in Sigtuna beginning around 995. The impetus was explicitly political — Olof was aligning himself with Christian European kingship, and issuing coin was part of that performance. The dies were cut by Anglo-Saxon moneyers, almost certainly brought from England, which explains why these pieces so closely resemble contemporaneous issues of Æthelred II.
Circulation was limited. Bullion by weight remained the dominant exchange medium in Scandinavia, and these deniers functioned more as prestige objects than working currency. Most recovered examples come from hoards rather than settlement layers.