Penning, Svealand, Johan Sverkersson, 1216–1222

Johan Sverkersson was the son of King Sverker Karlsson. This Svealand penning with a crown in the centre and the inscription IOHANNES was struck for Johan. The crown is the symbol of royal power, and there was no other King Johan in the early Middle Ages. That is why the identification of this coin is particularly clear. Johan was elected king after Erik Knutsson at the age of 15 in 1216 and reigned until 1222.

This specimen was in a hoard found in 1870 by a farmer who was ploughing a dry bog in Ljungkullen in the parish of Dimbo in Västergötland. The hoard included 38 of Johan’s Svealand pennings in total. Interestingly, most of them were unknown up to that point.

Image rights: Helena Bonnevier, Ekonomiska museet - Kungliga myntkabinettet/SHM (CC BY 4.0)

Object number: 100444_KMK

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