Watch List notes:

Sweden, Gustav Vasa SM 243 18 penningar Hedemora och Söderköping. Two coins, 1.17 g and 1.57 g respectively. Klippe of 18 penningar with high silver alloy content and unusually well struck for the type, notoriously known for the "beheaded appearance". SMB 305. This type coin historically played its part of the Danish invaders of Christian II, and the soon to appear on the scene rebels led by Gustav Ericson, later to be crowned king of Sweden. The slippery and totally dramatic and traumatic events of Danish invaders with sudden ambitions to conquer Sweden and "buy Sweden for lousy silvered coppers" happened approximately 500 years ago. Speculations goes how to determine and separate the typical Danish issue first struck in Malmö from those struck with identical design at Swedish locations; Västerås, Hedemora and Söderköping. The rather squarish format of this specimen, and the following one, is noted for their resemblance with the - also squarish - klippes which Gustav struck in his own late rebellion period. The Danish originals are more frequently noticable rectangular in shape and showing more motives on the struck specimens. Analysis of a treasure find in Västerås Castle demonstrates that strikes from identical dies can be linked to both specimens struck in Malmö and plenty of specimens survived in this particular treasure find. While the Danes brought dies to Sweden and struck also on Swedish territory seems likely, but when they were out-manoeuvered, the dies fell in control of the Swedes, who continued the low base coin production and blaming the bad - coppery - klippes on the Danes, building up momentum of Swedish resistance. As history shows, Gustav Ericson was successful and gathered majority being elected king in 1523. This and the following specimen are reportedly bought from Harry Glück coin dealership in the 1950-70s. 1+-01