2 Kroner Norway

The 2 Kroner coin from Norway's 1875-1905 series was struck at the historic Kongsberg Mint, using 90% silver planchets that often included recycled metal from older European coins.

That made it practical for daily trade, even as silver prices fluctuated. The obverse bore a portrait of King Oscar II, who navigated the tricky union with Sweden. On the reverse, the Norwegian lion stood proud, claws out, as if ready for a fight.

Exact mintage figures are murky; records from that era burned in a 1920s fire at the national archives. Still, thousands circulated in markets and ports.

Design-wise, the coin's edge featured an inscription, a detail that foiled counterfeiters. Not that it always worked; even kings' faces ended up on tavern floors.