Watch List notes:

Sweden, Fredrik I SM 89 1 riksdaler 1748 28.96 g. Stockholm. Seraphim riksdaler. One year type. R. Ex Bonde auction 1, lot 600. SMB 61. The so called Seraphim riksdaler of 1748 is an unusual creature in Swedish numismatics. The type is one of very few that have a date, namely "D. 17 APR. 1748". However the date is not the one of the founding of the Order of the Seraphim, which has sometimes erraneously been claimed. The founding of the Order was made in writing by initiativ of the Council of the Realm (riksrådet) Anders Johan von Höpken at the end of 1747 and signed by the architect Carl Hårleman. The approval was given by the King on 23 February 1748. The date 17 April 1748 instead reflects the birthday of the King, according to the Gregorian calendar, and likewise the planned date of the historical first dubbing of Knights of the Order of the Seraphim. However, not everything went to plan, and due to ill health of the King this eventually happened on the following day, April 18! The first to be dubbed were the Councils of the Realm, the president of College of Commerce (Kommerskollegium) and two generals, in total 24 individuals. To that shall be added the King himself, Adolf Fredrik, and prince Gustav (III). Inconjunction with the occasion, the Council of the realm had to make a decision regarding a riksdaler coinage to commemorate the event. It was then noted that from the previous coinage of riksdalers, there were about 100 unused planchets. Upon inspection of the struck coinage compared with the Statutes of the Order it could be seen that the Coat-of-Arms on the reverse should enclosed by the chain of the Order of the Seraphim and thus the minting was temporarily stopped. Council of the Realm Carl Fredrik Piper made the decision to engrave a new reverse die. Thus the coinage happened twice, in June 1748 and with the new die, in January 1749. On the first occasion, 100 riksdalers were minted, and on the second occasion 109 pcs minted. The herewith presented example of the Seraphim riksdaler is from the dies used in January 1749. At last we can note that even the well reknowned collector Gunnar Ekström was missing this important type coin in his collection! Further reading: Article by B. Hemmingsson "1748 års serafimermynt" published in SNT (Swedish Numismatic Newspaper) March 2012. 1+