1/2 örtug, Västerås, Hans, 1497–1501
In addition to Stockholm, Västerås was a prominent coin minting site in the late Middle Ages. This is a half-örtug (fyrk) which was minted there during the short period when Sweden was ruled by King Hans of Denmark (1497–1501). It was not unusual for individual letters, in this case an “A”, to be stamped in the middle of coins. Such letters stood for either the initials of the mint owner or, as in this case, the place where the coin was minted: Aros (= Västerås). The mint owner was in charge of the mint, and the mint was the place where the coin was made.
