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Den 29 april 2023 såldes en medeltida brakteat präglad för kung Erik Eriksson (1222–1229,1234–1250) på auktion i Stockholm, ett mynt som tidigare stulits från Varnhems kloster. Om stulna föremål säljs utan att man kräver tillbaka dem, betyder det att de helt lagligt kan säljas på nytt i all oändlighet. Detta kommer att påverka allmänhetens synsätt på kulturarvet. Försäljningen av mynten från Varnhem visar att kulturarvet fortfarande inte har tillräckligt skydd.

The coin circulation in Denmark during Eric of Pomerania’s reign (1396-1439) has been studied systematically within the borders of today’s Denmark, but not Skåneland. This area is in today’s Sweden consisting of Halland, Scania, Blekinge and (Danish) Bornholm. The coin finds show that during 1400-1420 there was a considerable percentage of foreign coins in circulation, especially in churches. These were mostly used for fees in churches, but also had use in urban environments. The copper sterling represents the circulation of domestic coins during 1420-1440. The distribution of its minting cities showed that the local Lund type is the most common, followed by a similar percentage of Næstved and Randers types, and a lesser percentage of Odense types. The percentages of Lund and Odense types were expected but the similarities between Næstved and Randers types were not. Since Næstved types are the most common in today’s Denmark, and Randers types are a less circulated coin.

The cities of Pergamon, Smyrna and Ephesus have caught the attention of many scholars throughout the world and many papers and studies have been written on their history. The focus for most of them have been the imperial cult and the status of the cities as neokoroi. Although this is an important part in the history of the three cities, these temples and the imperial cult is not the only time they have been influenced by the romans and their culture. This paper aims to explore the public identity of the cities trough the medium of coinage, and how their identity is influenced and changed by the introduction of the romans. By analysing iconography on coins from 200 BC-200 AD we get a more nuanced perspective on the relationship between the Romans and the three cities in question. Instead of seeing the imperial cult only as a product of the social and political landscape of the empire, we instead put them in a larger narrative of roman expansion and influence in the Greek east both before and during the republic. Trough Panofskys iconographical analysis method, the coins are placed in a historical, political, and cultural context that unlocks their full potential. By focusing on identity, the coins become representative of what the cities themselves choose to put forward and focus on. It shows the most important aspects of the local culture and what they think most represents the public life, which in turn shows us their public identity. This study determined that the introduction of the imperial cult during the first century AD was a culmination of a process that had started during the republic and the different ways the romans took control of the cities. It also determined that the different political and cultural situations that the cities found themselves during this 400-year period had a big part to play in how they adapted to the roman culture and the reign of the emperors.

Detailed analysis of the coinge in England during the Hand issue c. 979-89. It shows that the development was far more complex than previously believed. The Second Hand type is connected with the desire by AEthelred II to control the coinage.

This thesis investigates the use of propaganda in the form of iconography on Roman coins minted during the reign of the emperor Hadrian. More specifically this paper investigates the use of coins during the transitional period of Hadrian’s ascension to emperor and his use of iconography on coin minted during his famous travels of the empire, as well as coins minted in local provincial mints. For this investigation fifty coins of significance have been chosen for analysis, these coins are minted either during the early years of Hadrian's reign or during his travels. The theory used in this paper bases itself on the thought of “fabrication” by Peter Burke in the Fabrication of Louis XIV. The result of this study shows how Hadrian chose to portray himself in relation to his predecessor and how he used iconography to reinforce Roman rule over the provinces.

This chapter focuses on two general issues of relevance to the investigation of coin finds in church buildings based on case studies of two medieval churches, Arby and Gränna, in the province of Småland, Sweden. Firstly, there is the issue involving therelationship between coin use in churches and the ownership of the church, whichcould be in the hands of either private patrons or parish congregations. What differencesin coin use might have resulted from the different ways a church might be managed? Can the coins help us to see such changes? Of central importance to this line ofinvestigation is the notion that coins reflect and are part of their historical context, butalso affected people’s everyday and religious lives (e.g. used for indulgences, masses,embellishment of church space, opening up interior space and power relations). Secondly, there is the relationship between coin finds from churches and general coin use in society. How should differences in coin find patterns and fluctuations in the intensity of deposition be interpreted? To what extent are patterns from coin finds in churches useful for extrapolating and for interpretations of the role of coins outside of that specific context? Here, evaluations of the depositional processes and of the composition of the coin finds are of great consequence. This line of enquiry seeks to push beyond the common view that the church is “a society in miniature,” partly accepting it, but also underlining the unique character of the ecclesiastical context and of the events taking place in it, and thus the particular conditions for artefacts found there. The results of this study of two Småland churches indicate, firstly, that coin use inside churches in Sweden only took off in a significant way with the formation of parishes in the thirteenth century, when congregations took over the responsibility for the church. Secondly, that coin use in churches was largely connected with offerings, and with certain events, such as th, Religion and Money: Economy of Salvation in the Middle Ages

Landskapet Närke ligger centralt placerat i Mellansverige och var under vikingatiden en passage mellan olika områden. Detta kunde utnyttjas av områdets elit, som skapade överskott genom handel och utbyte och inte minst genom att strategiskt använda ädelmetaller för att stärka sina positioner inom släktskapsnätverk och politiska allianser. Bland annat kan en särskild koppling till Norge ses genom skattfynden., The historical province of Närke is centrally and strategically situated in Middle Sweden. In the Viking Age, it had to be passed on several routes going south-north and east-west. This was used by local elite to generate surplus from trade and exchanges, and not least through the strategic use of precious metal to strengthen their positions within networks and alliances. Through precious-metal depositions a special connection with Norway stands out., Presenterar ett projekt finansierat av Allan Wetterholms stiftelse (Örebro), bedrivet tillsammans med dr Florent Audy, Statens Historiska Museum., Närkes vikingatida skatter och mynt

The theory and practice of the object-biographical approach is the backdrop for this reinterpretation of the celebrated precious metal deposition from Eketorp in central Sweden.This example serves to demonstrate the potential of the approach for assemblages as well as single objects. The Eketorp hoard is one of a category of thematically composed Viking-Age precious metal depositions and contains an exceptional number of miniatures andpendants, jewellery, and some unusual coins. This paper presents new findings from excavations in 2017 and 2019, contextualises the hoard, reinterprets a number of the artefacts and points towards possibilities for further interpretation., Den uppmärksammade depån från Eketorp i Närke, som hittades på 1950-talet, diskuteras här i ljuset av nya fynd från 2017 och 2019 och utifrån ett bojektsbiografiskt perspektiv. Depån (skatten) innehåller ett exceptionellt stort antal miniatyrer och hängen och några ovanliga mynt bland ett större antal. I sin helhet förefaller den vara medvetet komponerad för att uttrycka en identitet, som en vikingatida kvinna ur eliten., The research for this paper was conducted within the project "Viking-Age hoards and coins from Närke", funded by the Allan Wetterholm foundation.

I Uppsala hittades 1775 en skatt med 410 mynt från Gustav Vasa. Dokumentationen är mycket bristfällig. Skatten har troligen gått förlorad i en brand 1542 och kan kopplas till ärkestiftets ekonomi. Främst tack vare Sala silvergruva kunde Gustav Vasa inleda en kraftigt ökad myntning. Det medförde att utländska mynt, som kommit i cirkulation främst i södra Sverige under slutet av medeltiden, därefter försvann ur cirkulation.

På Gotland finns 55 medeltida kollekttavlor bevarade (helt eller delvis). I ett skandinaviskt och även i ett europeiskt perspektiv utgör de ett enastående material. Medeltida mynt som hittas i kyrkor anses bero på spill i samband med offer. Kollekttavlorna på Gotland visar att fynden även beror på mynt som tappats i samband med kollekt. De äldsta kollekttavlorna är från 1200-talets början och det var sannolikt då som kollekt infördes på Gotland. Kollekt nämns även i kyrkliga räkenskaper från det svenska fastlandet., English summary

Based on archival information three coins in a hoard found in 1745 at Tibble north of Enköping has been identified in the collection of the Royal Coin Cabinet. One of the two German coins is unique and struck in the 1080-1090s at an unknown mint in the Rhine area. The hoard is probably the youngest known Viking-Age hoard from the Mälar valley.

A German taler 1556 struck for Ulrich III in Mecklenburg-Güstrow was found in 2018 as a stray find at Romakloster on Gotland. I could possibly have a connection to a fleet from Denmark and Lübeck which was shipwrecked outside Visby in 1566. It could be the earliest evidence for an import of a taler, which was a denomination used in international payments.

Coin metals as a sign of social class. Coin hoards from the warship Kronan and from Scania in southern Sweden connected wth the Scanian war 1676-1679 are analysed based on their composition of different metals; gold, silver and copper. It is evident that the social class in the society is revealed by the coin metals which the owner possessed.

Coins have played an important role in religious and ritual practice ever since they started to be produced. The claim is sustained by numerous sources: coin finds in archaeological contexts,written sources and images. Why people deposit coins is therefore a fundamental question for understanding both the use of the material object and the conceptual framework within which ritual activity occurred.

This edited collection analyses the phenomenon of coin use for religious and ritual purposes in different cultures and across different periods of time. It proposes an engagement with the theory and interpretation of the ‘material turn’ with numismatic evidence, and an evidence-based series of discussions to offer a fuller, richer and fresh account of coin use in ritual contexts. No extensive publication has previously foregrounded coins in such a model, despite the fact that coins constitute an integrated part of the material culture of most societies today and of many in the past. Here, interdisciplinary discussions are organised around three themes: coin deposit and ritual practice, the coin as economic object and divine mediator, and the value and meaning of coin offering. Although focusing on the medieval period in Western Europe, the book includes instructive cases from the Roman period until today. The collection brings together well-established and emerging scholars from archaeology, art history, ethnology, history and numismatics, and great weight is given to material evidence which can complement and contradict the scarce written sources., Table of ContentsIntroduction: Faith and Ritual Materialised: Coin Finds in Religious Contexts [Nanouschka Myrberg Burström]Part I: Money in Rituals and Practice1. Death by Deposition?: Coins and Ritual in the Late Iron Age and Early Roman Transition in Northern Gaul[David Wigg-Wolf]2. The Impact of Coinage on Ritual Offerings During the Late Iron Age (c. 250–25/15 BC)[Michael Nick]3. Coins and Baptism in Late Antiquity: Written Sources and Numismatic Evidence Reconsidered[Claudia Perassi]4. Pilgrims, Pennies and the Ploughzone: Folded Coins in Medieval Britain[Richard Kelleher]5. Why Money Does Grow on Trees: The British Coin-Tree Custom[Ceri Houlbrook]Part II: Coins as Secular and Sacred Objects6. Coins as Non-Coins: The Use and Meaning of Roman Coins in Religious Contexts Outside the Empire[Helle W. Horsnæs]7. Firmly I Believe and Truly: Religious Iconography on Early Anglo-Saxon Coins[Anna Gannon]8. Pecuniary Profanities?: Money, Christianity and Demonstrative Giving in the Early Middle Ages[Rory Naismith]9. Coins and the Church in Medieval England: Votive and Economic Functions of Money in Religious Contexts[Martin Allen]10. Sacra Moneta: Divinity, Purity, Miracles and Powers[Lucia Travaini]Part III: The Value and Worth of Offering11. Worthless?: The Practice of Depositing Counterfeit Coins in Roman Votive Contexts[Fleur Kemmers]12. Scandinavian Women in Search of Salvation: Women’s Use of Money in Religion and Devotional Practice[Svein H. Gullbekk]13. A Cheap Salvation?: Post-Reformation Offerings in Finnish Churches[Frida Ehrnsten], Norges forskningsråd, projektnr 222545

The silver content of 181 Gotlandic coins c. 1150-1154 has been analysed using XRF. For the first time the entire coinage has been analysed and it shows a progressive debasement, which sometimes was slow and sometimes rapid.

The silver content of 118 Danish coins struck 1448-1523 was analysed using XRF. The results show that the silver content of the coins was often manipulated, usually in order to finance wars.

The silver content of 155 coins struck in Sweden during Erik of Pomerania 1396-1439 has been analysed using XRF. The results show that at the Stockholm mint there was a debasement in the middle of the period, but later the silver content was restored. At the Västerås mint the silver content was lower during the short coinage. This may have been the reason why the mint was closed. At Åbo one denomination, abo, shows a debasement when the value was reduced from 6 to 4 pennings., Metallanalyser av mynt/Metal analyses of coins

The paper is a revision of the dates for the earliest coinages on Gotland and in the Baltic countries. On Gotland the coinage must have started c. 1150 (previously c. 1140). A coinage in Riga in 1211 is known from written sources, but it is suggested here that a coinage could have started already in the 1190s in a predecessor to Riga and later continued in Riga itself.

In present-day Scandinavia a coinage was initiated about AD 995, which imitated contemporary Anglo-Saxon coins. For more than thirty years the English and Scandinavian coinages were closely connected through a network of humans and objects that moved, physically and conceptually, between mints and kingdoms. Coinage is often seen as articulating sovereign rights in a certain area, but the Anglo-Scandinavian coinage network instead cut across kingdoms from west to east. Despite ongoing state-formation processes, key valuables like artisans and dies were shared in the network, causing change in power relations and conceptions of value. Different iconographical models were used in a strategic/rhetorical way by commissioners and artisans to create relations between cognitive nodes through association, referencing, paraphrasing and appropriation. When circulating, the coins linked users to an official and shared discourse, and maintained the created relations through the impact of their materiality. While many re-contextualizing practices in the Viking Age seem to deal with reconnection with the past, the coin-imitation practice apparently worked mainly within a contemporary conceptual framework, although there are components of ‘ancientness’ as well. Die-link studies here provide a source of theoretical inspiration for how to study linear as well as non-linear connections and networks in the past. Through the repetitive practices of coin-making, artefact types experience gradual changes and thus new categories and articulations are created. Object agency and the hybrid character of these coins provide starting points for a deeper understanding of the coins’ wider connotations and meanings, as well as for the imitative practice itself.

The silver content of 145 Danish coins struck c. 1400-1448 has been analysed. It shows that the silver content and/or the weight of the coins from this period were progressively debased. It is possible to follow the debasement in detail and it can often be connected with political events., Metallanalyser av mynt/Metal analyses of coins

Two Viking-Age hoards in northern Sweden were both deposited in the 1020s, but have very different compositions. They are evidence of repeated trading expeditions when mainly German and English coins were acquired. The owner of one of the hoards was taking part in a felag, a joint expedition, in partnership with at least two other traders.

A monetary reform was undertaken in England c. 973. It met with local opposition, which a generation later helped Cnut to become king of England. The reform also coincided with the start of an export of English coins, mainly via Germany, to Scandinavia, but the export was not connected to the reform itself.

Money and Religion: Economy of Salvation in the Middle Ages (Norway)o)

This paper looks to examine the relationship between the church buildings and archaeological finds from under the church floor in Silte parish on the baltic isle, Gotland. The material was excavated in 1971-1972, after evidence of an older wooden church was uncovered during restoration work. This older structure, revealed to have consisted of a chancel and choir, had evidently been connected to the present stone choir for some time. The well preserved foundation was excavated along with a rich archeological material consisting of, amongst other things, some 1700 coins and 18 graves along with skeletal material indicating an additional 25 individuals. In this thesis the material and the buildings are put into context and an attempt is made to link it to different phases of christianization. One connecting to the timbered stave church, and one to the later stone church. The results are then used to make a connection between this development and the formation of the parish system on the island and the increased stratification of church and society during the early Middle Ages in Sweden and Scandinavia.

Bischop Bietrich 1046-89 struck a number of coin types in Verdun. The types struck during the end of his office as bishop are well represented in the 2012 Övide hoard from Gotland. It also includes a previously unpublished type. Based on the composition of the hoard an absolute chronology for the types is proposed.