1 Ore Silver Sweden

The 1 öre silver coins from Sweden, struck between 1620 and 1650, were often made from recycled silver, including melted Spanish reales brought in through trade or war spoils.

This practice highlights the practical side of 17th-century minting, where foreign coinage filled gaps in local supplies during Sweden's imperial expansions. Most examples show the bust of Gustavus Adolphus or Queen Christina on the obverse, with a crown and denomination on the reverse, though variations exist due to different engravers. Exact mintages remain unclear; records from that era are spotty, likely destroyed in later conflicts or administrative shifts.

I've handled dozens of these over the years, and let me tell you, they don't glisten like new anymore.