Speciedaler

The Speciedaler debuted in 1816 using silver recycled from older European coins, a practical nod to Norway's postwar shortages.

That made it a cornerstone of the country's currency reform after the Napoleonic Wars, pegged at 120 skilling and struck in various denominations up to 1873. Designs varied, with early issues showing King Carl XIV Johan's profile and later ones the Norwegian coat of arms. Mintage figures are spotty; records for some years vanished in the 1838 fire at the mint.

Edge lettering on these coins, like "GOTT MIT UNS," reflected the era's Germanic influences, given Norway's union with Sweden. They circulated widely in trade, from Bergen to the fjords. As for myths, no, it won't bring you Viking luck—just solid silver value.

Some variants show die cracks, a flaw that amuses me after three decades; it's like the coin's way of sighing at its own production.