5 Kronor 2004

The 2004 5 Kronor coin from Sweden features the EU's twelve stars encircling the Swedish coat of arms, a straightforward nod to the tenth anniversary of the country's EU membership.

That design choice was typical for commemoratives of the era, using cupro-nickel planchets struck at the Swedish mint. The obverse shows the monarch's portrait, while the reverse keeps things simple with the stars and inscription.

We don't know the exact mintage figures; records from that period can be spotty. Still, it circulated widely enough that most examples turn up in decent condition.

Plenty of folks collect these for the EU angle, but let's not pretend it's rare. As for myths about hidden values, I've seen enough to know they're usually just that.