32 Skilling Sweden

The 32 skilling coin was one of the few denominations that survived Sweden's chaotic currency reforms unscathed, bridging the gap from the old riksdaler system to the pre-krona era.

These coins were mostly struck in silver, often with a simple design featuring the three crowns or a lion rampant. Sizes varied slightly over the years, depending on the mint's available metal. We know production ramped up in the 1740s to meet wartime demands, but exact mintages for many dates remain a mystery—papers burned in the 1838 Stockholm fire saw to that.

Counterfeits were common, especially in the border regions, which kept things lively for border guards. As for the metal, some planchets likely came from melted-down foreign coins, a practical habit of the time.

It's amusing how these coins turn up in odd places, like old shoeboxes, as if they'd rather hide than be scrutinized.