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This is a modest collection of second millennium gold coins
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SWEDEN
The number and variety of ancient fortifications, assembly places, votive sites and graves in Sweden is impressive. The Viking Age was getting under way by the 9th century, and vast repositories of Roman, Byzantine and Arab coins attest to the wealth and power Swedish Vikings accumulated over the next century. Vikings travelled mostly to the east, making their mark in Russia, as well as trading with (and pillaging) Byzantine territories. Pagan gods and slightly more earthbound kings held sway over the domestic population, with Christianity only taking root in the 11th century. Internal squabbles whiled away the bulk of the Middle Ages until Denmark interceded in 1397, when, together with Norway, they joined Sweden in the Union of Kalmar. A century of Swedish nationalist grumblings erupted in rebellion under Gustaf Vasa, who was crowned in 1523. Gustaf then set about introducing religious reform and a powerful centralised nation-state. A period of expansion resulted in Sweden's control over much of Finland and the Baltic countries. In 1809, the unrestricted power vested in the monarch was undone by aristocratic revolt and Finland was lost to Russia. The same year, Sweden produced a constitution that divided legislative powers between king and Riksdag (parliament). In 1814 the military enforcement of the union with Norway was Sweden's last involvement with war. Sweden declared itself neutral at the outbreak of WW I and was governed bilaterally until 1917. But food shortages caused unrest and consensus was no longer possible. For the first time a social democratic government took control. The social democrats dominated politics after 1932, reworking the liberal tendencies of the 1920s to join economic intervention with the introduction of a welfare state.
20 Kronor - 1901
KM-765 - 8,96 g
Mintage
- 0,227M
The coin was minted at the Stockholm mint.
The obverse has a bareheaded bust of King Oscar II (b1829-d1907) with the
Swedish legend OSCAR II KING OF THE SWEDES AND NORWEGIANS.
The reverse pictures the royal arms with a Swedish legend at the top THE
WELFARE OF THE BROTHER PEOPLES, the denomination at the bottom, the mintmaster's
(Emil Brusewitz) initials E.B. at the right and a privy mark at the left.
There are more Swedish gold coins in this section if you are interested - Page Sweden 1
SWITZERLAND
The first inhabitants of the region were a Celtic tribe, the Helvetia. The Romans appeared on the scene in 107 BC by way of the St Bernard Pass, but owing to the difficulty of the terrain their conquest of the area was never decisive. They were gradually driven back by the Germanic Altemanni tribe which settled in the 5th century. The territory was united under the Holy Roman Empire in 1032 but central control was never very tight. That was all changed by the Germanic Habsburg family, which became the most powerful dynasty in Central Europe. Habsburg expansion was spearheaded by Rudolph I, who gradually brought the squabbling nobles to heel. Upon Rudolph's death in 1291, local leaders saw a chance to gain independence. Their pact of mutual assistance is seen as the origin of the Swiss Confederation, and their struggles against the Habsburgs is idealised in the familiar legend of William Tell. Encouraged by early successes, the Swiss gradually acquired a taste for territorial expansion themselves and gained independence from the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I in 1499. After a number of military victories, the Swiss finally over-reached themselves when they took on a combined force of French and Venetians in 1515. Realising they could no longer compete against larger powers with better equipment, they renounced expansionist policies and declared their neutrality. The Reformation in the 16th century caused upheaval throughout Europe. The Protestant teachings of Luther, Zwingli and Calvin spread quickly, although central Switzerland remained Catholic. While the rest of Europe was fighting it out in the Thirty Years' War, the Swiss closed ranks and kept out of trouble. At the end of the war in 1648 they were recognised in the Treaty of Westphalia as a neutral state. Nevertheless, the French Republic invaded Switzerland in 1798 and established the Helvetic Republic. The Swiss, however, did not take too kindly to such centralised control. Napoleon was finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815. The ensuing Congress of Vienna guaranteed Switzerland's independence and permanent neutrality in 1815. In 1848 a new federal constitution was agreed on and it is largely still in place today. The Swiss have carefully guarded their neutrality into the 21sth century.
20 Francs - 1883
KM-031.1 - 6,45 g - 21 mm
Edge - Reeded
Mintage - 0,250M
The coin was minted at the Bern mint. The obverse features a bust of Liberty with LIBERTAS spelled out of the tiara. The surrounding Latin legend is HELVETIAN CONFEDERATION. The reverse has the nation arms within a wreath with a star above, the denomination to the sides and the date below. The is the reeded edge variety.
There are more Swiss gold coins in this section if you are interested - Page Switzerland 1
SYRIA
Syria had a strategic position in the ancient world, and its coastal towns became important Phoenician trading posts. Later, Syria was a pivotal part of the Roman, Persian, Egyptian and Babylonian empires. It finally ended up as part of Ottoman Turkey and, along with Lebanon, was given to France as a protectorate when the Turkish Empire broke up after WWI. In 1932, Syria had its first parliamentary elections, and although the candidates had been picked by the French, they refused to accept France's proposed constitution for the country. In 1939, France granted Turkey the Syrian province of Alexandretta, further sharpening feeling against them. France promised independence in 1941 but didn't come through with it until 1946. Civilian rule didn't last long in Syria: in 1954, after several military coups, the Ba'athist section of the army took over the country. The Ba'ath Party was founded in 1940 by a Christian teacher and was committed to a form of pan-Arabism under which Syria would forfeit its sovereignty. This led to the formation of a United Arab Republic with Egypt in 1958, but a series of military coups trundled across the country. By 1966 the Ba'ath were back in power. Former, Defence Minister Hafez al-Assad seized power and held the presidency to his death in 2000, when his son succeeded him
£ 1 - 1369AH (1950)
KM-085
- 6,76 g
Mintage - 0,250M
This coin was issued under the Syrian Republic. The obverse has the national arms under which are the dates in AD and AH (1950 - 1369). The reverse has a calligraphic Arabic inscription in a panel with scrollwork above and a wreath below.
There are more Syrian gold coins in this section if you are interested - Page Syria 1
TANGIER (Morocco)
The Phoenicians came first, then the Carthaginians, then the Romans (for five centuries), followed by the Vandals, the Byzantines, and then the Arabs (for seven centuries). After all of those came the Spanish, followed by the Portuguese. Then - after the British put their stamp on it and the city was returned to Morocco in 1684 - the French got into the act and made Morocco a protectorate, then turned around and gave Tangier special status. Nearer in time, Tangier was an international city from 1923 to 1956 (governed by ten or so major powers), when it was finally integrated back into Morocco.
1 Ounce - 1954
KM-250
- 33,91 g
This interesting piece was issuer by a private concern in Tangiers for the First Banking Corp. Tangiers was, at the time, an International City though it is not part of the Kingdom of Morocco. The obverse has a standing figure of Hercules with the legend in English. The reverse has the statistics on the alloy (this being to the Sterling standard of 0,9167 fine). The coin is rather thick as you can see from the picture.
THAILAND
The earliest civilisation in Thailand is believed to have been that of the Mons in central Thailand, who brought a Buddhist culture from the Indian subcontinent. In the 12th century, this met a Khmer culture moving from the east, the Sumatran-based Srivijaya culture moving north, and citizens of the Thai state of Nan Chao, in what is now southern China, migrating south. Thai princes created the first Siamese capital in Sukhothai, later centres in Chiang Mai and, notably, Ayuthaya. The Burmese invaded Siam in both the 16th and 18th centuries, capturing Chiang Mai and destroying Ayuthaya. The Thais expelled the Burmese and moved their capital to Thonburi. In 1782, the current Chakri dynasty was founded by King Rama I and the capital was moved across the river to Bangkok. In the 19th century, Siam remained independent by deftly playing off one European power against another. In 1932, a peaceful coup converted the country into a constitutional monarchy, and in 1939 Siam became Thailand. During WW II, the Thai government allowed Japanese troops to occupy Thailand. After the war, Thailand was dominated by the military and experienced more than twenty coups and countercoups interspersed with short-lived experiments with democracy. Democratic elections in 1979 were followed by a long period of stability and prosperity as power shifted from the military to the business elite. In February 1991 a military coup ousted the Chatichai government, but bloody demonstrations in May 1992 led to the reinstatement of a civilian government.
300
Baht - BE2511 (1968)
Y-22 - 7,50 g
Mintage - 0,101M
The obverse of this coin has a bust of Queen Sirikit (b1932-). The reverse has the royal monogram. Both sides have legends in Thai.
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