Listen

1 riksdaler, Sala/Stockholm, Gustav II Adolf, 1631

Several riksdaler types and variants were issued during the reign of King Gustav II Adolf (1611–1632. These have in common the fact that the king’s portrait is on the obverse (front) and Christ is depicted on the reverse (back). What sets them apart is the way in which the king and Christ are depicted, the appearance of the national coat of arms and the inscriptions, and the combinations of these.

The riksdaler you see here shows the king wearing a crown, and his title is written GUSTAVUS ADOLPH D(EI) G(RATIE) REX SVECORUM – Gustav Adolf, by the grace of God King of the Swedes. On the front, the cloak worn by Christ covers his shoulders and legs. The inscription SALVATOR MUNDI SALVATOR NOS: saviour of the world – our saviour ends with the year written in Roman numerals: XXXI – 31.

The practice of sometimes using Roman numerals to indicate years began under King Karl IX (1604–1611) and ended under Karl XI (1660–1697).

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

Object number: 110080_KMK

<   20 of 91  >