Watch List notes:

Sweden. Adolph Frederik. 1751-1771. CU plate money - 1/2 Daler (This plate measures approximately 10 cm. Center stamp: 1/2 DALER / SILF:MYNT, crossed arrows below. 4 surrounding stamps: crown over AFRS / 1758. K PM 80. EF. 

Sweden does not possess many precious metal deposits, but has an abundance of copper. These Swedish plate coins were primarily used in international trade. In 1644 the first plate coins were minted, a huge 10 Daler weighing 44 lbs. This and the scarce 8 Daler were too cumbersome, so in the 1750's the mint began producing smaller denominations ranging from 1/2 to 4 Daler.To exchange the awkward money for more portable currency, people would deposit the plates in banks in return for 'credit notes', Sweden therefore became the first European country to issue freely circulating banknotes.The majority of existing small-denomination examples were discovered in the wreck of The Nicobar, off the coast of South Africa, in 1987. Those examples are almost always corroded and pitted. This example was not a part of this shipwreck and is in pristine condition.