Sweden:Money

From Marteau

Revision as of 10:57, 16 March 2006; view current revision
←Older revision | Newer revision→

Contents

Regnia Sueciae in omnes suas Subjacentes Provincias accurate divisi Tabula Generalis edita a Ioh. Bapt. Homanno Noribergae c.1720. 485 x 567 mm

sweden-1720.jpg


History

Sweden's central currency unit had been the mark Swedish. The 17th century witnessed the introduction of a parallel copper currency under the equation of 1 Riksdaler = 3 Daler silvermynt (S.M) = 9 Daler kopparmynt (K.M). In 1644 Plåtmynten (copper plate coins) were introduced. International transactions were performed in Riksdaler.

Copper and silver-money was theoretically exchangable, practically one could expect to be paid the money one demanded, and if you paid in silver you could expect your partner to give change in silver – he would give change in copper if you paid in copper.

The period 1715 to 1719 saw a fast devaluation of the coin. Sweden's government issued some 4 million daler "Nödmynten" - war emergency money - copper coins with a nominal value of silver coins and the promise of Sweden's govenment to accept these coins once the Great Northern War was over for the nominal value with which they were issued. The promise was hardly kept. Görtz, the father of the hated money, was beheaded in 1719. Görtz-dalers were redeemed by Sweden's government for 1 daler 5 mark plåt. Sweden's whole currency was from 1715 to 1719 effectively devaluated against the riksdaler.

Literature

  • Lagerqvist, Lars O./ Nathorst-Böös, Ernst, Vad kostade det? Priser och löner från medeltid till våra dagar.
  • Tingström, Bertel, Swedish Coins 1521-1968. The illustrated reference book of Swedish numismatics 1521-1968 (1969).