Christian V 2 Skilling

The Christian V 2 Skilling, despite its diminutive size, was struck from silver that often included recycled metal from older coins, reflecting the practical recycling habits of 17th-century Danish mints.

This meant that a coin fresh from the Copenhagen Mint might carry traces of its predecessors' histories, though we'd never know for sure. The obverse typically showed the king's bust, a straightforward nod to his absolutist rule, while the reverse featured the Danish coat of arms—three lions and nine hearts, symbols unchanged for centuries. Mintage figures? Lost in the 1838 fire that ravaged Danish archives, so we're left guessing.

Variations exist, with some pieces showing weak strikes or edge clips from wear, common for a coin in constant pocket use. Edge errors could fool a novice into thinking it was counterfeit, but that's just the nature of hand-hammered currency.

Collectors might spot one with a telltale flaw, like an off-center strike. As if the mint workers needed more grief that century.