Here is another coin I picked up at the coin show. I am really trying hard not to collect foreign coins, but this one really attracted me.
Joe, I honestly don't like the design of this coin but the good thing is that you are getting into collecting more and more foreign coins :thumb: Now quit resisting....
Nice 10 kroner coin. It is a commemorative, 150 years since the constitution was written and signed in the building depicted, at Eidsvoll, Norway. Being under Danish rule for several hundred years, the turmoil around Napoleons opened a window of opportunity for the Norwegians to create their own constitution, inspired by the US declaration of independence and the french revolution. You can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Constitution The coin is silver, but not very rare. Congrats
The lettering around the edge says "Enige og tro til Dovre faller", wich directly translated means "Agreed and true until Dovre falls". (Dovre is a big chain of Mountains in Norway) This is what they said to each other after having approved the constitution. As you may know, the constitution didn't mean full independence for Norway. The country was tranfsfered to Swedish rule, as Swedens price after the victory over France and its allies, among them Denmark. However, the constitution made it possible for Norwegians to have more of a say in internal affairs, and in the end, we declared ourself independent of Sweden in 1905, backed by the constitution. This coin was issued in 1906, celebrating the new freedom. It is in my opinion the most beautiful Norwegian coin ever made: At that particular time in Norway, there was a very talented die engraver working for the royal mint, named Ivar Throndsen. Inspired by the Norwegian independence, he made several beautiful coins and medals, bearing the portrait of the new Norwegian king; Haakon VII http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haakon_VII_of_Norway 1906 Coronation medal: 1914 100 years since constitution commemorative: Medal; 25 years of reign, Haakon VII. (Notice the difference in style as the art deco had started to influence coins and medals)
And btw, your coin is an interesting coin too, for a collector of Norwegian coins, as it was the first silver coin to be issued since 1919, and 50 years had passed since the last commemorative coin issued. The numbers issued were so high, hitting a marked with few collectors, so it is still easy to come by. BTW II There is a variety with the edge lettering "upside down". This one is a bit scarcer, but I can't remember which way is the right way. Will try to find out and get back to you. Svein
In 1964 I was a teenager living in California, and I bought some Norwegian coins by mail from the Bank of Norway, including the 10 Kroner above.
Svein, Thanks for all your info. Very interesting. Also, you have some very nice coins there. When I get a chance, I will look at the wording and get back to you which way the lettering is. Thanks. Joe
OK, first if would help if I knew which was the obverse and which was the reverse. But the lettering is upright when the coin is laying on the shield and the building is facing you. Does that make sense?
Hi Joe I checked out that edge lettering thing. It proved to be this: The edge lettering was put on the planchet before the obverse and reverse images were struck, so there was no oversight to wich way the lettering ended up. There are therefore no numbers on how many of the two varieties are made. So I guess I was misleading you there, sorry. The lion and the shield is the obverse on the coin.
That is an attractive coin svessien! What kind of value does it enjoy today? Is it also readily available in Norway??
Charlie, it's a coin that in AU condition like this one would sell for 120-150 dollars. In unc closer to 200. They are availible in conditions from VF to Unc most of the time. Not too often on ebay, but there are plenty of them on Norwegian auction sites, and you'll find them at Norwegian coin dealers too. If I was to have one single coin from Norway in a world silver coin collection, I would go for this one.
Thanks for the info svessien. I think I'd like to get one although it won't be my only Norwegian coin.
Now I noticed your avatar I'm not able to make it out fully - is it a 1865 Carl XV Norwegian speciedaler?
