Northern Europe, Sweden, ca. 1716 CE. Northern Europe, Sweden, ca. 1716 CE. A Swedish copper platymynt 4 Daler faintly stamped with King Charles' XII of Sweden royal crest on two corners; a crown with interlacing CC 17 XII 16. The denomination stamped in the center; 4 DALER S:M and a shield crest marked below. This plate was a form of currency in Sweden and plasmin dealer translates to "plate dollar." This 4 dealer of copper was worth a certain amount of silver, which is what "S:M" denotes. The verso is usually blank, but this plate has an indiscernible circular impression, perhaps a stamp for redenomination. Sweden created huge copper plates as currency due to a silver shortage. Unfortunately copper coin did not hold as much value as silver, resulting in these massive plates. Most plasmin's were melted down and repurposed over the years, making these original plates quite rare! See below on why this one survived intact. Size: 8.75" L x 9.5" W (22.2 cm x 24.1 cm); total weight: 1905.09
This 4 daler is heavy and the inconvenience of carrying these plates led to the creation pf paper bank notes that could be exchanged, and consequently the need and value of the copper plates fell and most were melted down. In the 1780's, Sweden began exporting these copper plates to trade with colony countries. In 1783, the Danish ship, Nicobar, was sailing to India with a cargo consisting of Swedish platmynts, but a storm wrecked the ship off the coast of South Africa. The wreck was discovered in 1987, and this plate was finally recovered after spending nearly two hundred years at the bottom of the ocean!
Provenance: ex- estate of Eldert Bontekoe, Pegasi Numismatics, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA acquired before 2000
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#159404
Condition
Only two corner stamps remain, they are faint and mostly illegible with softening of details. Half of the central stamp is boldly marked. Losses to peripheries as shown and surface pitting. Rich patina!