Sweden's Copper Coinage Crisis: The 1624 Copper Riksdaler

In 1624, Sweden faced an economic paradox: it had too much copper. The country's vast copper wealth, centered on the Falun mine, created inflation and a shortage of silver. Gustav II Adolf and Axel Oxenstierna devised a radical solution—issuing Sweden's first copper coins with intrinsic value, including the massive 10-daler copper plate. Lucas and Luna explore how this monetary experiment, unique in European history, aimed to stabilize the economy and finance Sweden's wars. They discuss the practical challenges of handling these heavy coins, the role of the Stockholm mint, and the eventual shift to copper-backed paper money. This episode sheds light on a little-known chapter in Sweden's economic history, linking mining, metallurgy, and statecraft. Key figures include Gustav II Adolf, Axel Oxenstierna, and the German-born mintmaster Marcus Wulff.

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