1/2 öre, Säter, Gustav II Adolf, 1624

In 1624, Gustav II Adolf decided that Sweden should introduce copper öre coins. The reason was that there was a shortage of silver in Sweden. The shortage had arisen when Sweden had been forced to pay one million riksdaler for Älvsborg's ransom to Denmark after the Kalmar War in 1616-1619. However, there was plenty of copper. At the time, Sweden was one of the world's largest exporters of copper. By making copper coins, the shortage of coins would be remedied and at the same time the price of copper would go up because there was not as much copper available on the market.

Image rights: Helena Bonnevier, Ekonomiska museet - Kungliga myntkabinettet/SHM (CC BY 4.0)

Object number: 109528_KMK

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