KINGDOM OF SWEDEN - SWEDISH EMPIRE (1561-1721)
REIGN OF CARL XII (1697-1718) - HOUSE OF (PFALZ) PALATINATE-ZWEIBRÜCKEN-KLEEBURG (WITTLESBACH)
GOLD DUCAT TRADE COINAGE
CERTIFIED BY NGC ABOUT UNCIRCULATED 58
OBV: WITHIN BEADED CIRCLE THE DRAPED PORTRAIT BUST OF CARL XII RIGHT.
REV: CROWNED CROWNED ENTWINED ROYAL CYPHER MONOGRAM DOUBLE "C" WITH THREE HERALDIC CROWNS OF SWEDEN FLANKING AND BENEATH; BOTTOM CROWN DIVIDES DATE.
KM # 338
CHARLES XII (1682-1718), WHOSE ROYAL CYPHER IS BORN BY THIS COIN, CAME TO FULL POWER AT THE AGE OF 15. HE PROVED TO BE AN ABLE LEADER, POLITICIAN AND REFORMER, AS WELL AS A BRILLIANT TACTICIAN AND MILITARY STRATEGIST.
DENMARK-NORWAY, SAXONY-POLAND-LITHUANIA AND RUSSIA ALLIED AGAINST POWERFUL SWEDEN IN 1700, ATTACKING PROTECTORATES OF THE YOUNG AND UNTESTED KING CHARLES, AND INITITATING THE GREAT NORTHERN WAR (1700-1721). CHARLES XII LED THE SWEDES TO VICTORY, FORCING THE SUBMISSION OF ALL BUT RUSSIA BY 1706.
UNFORTUNATELY FOR KING CHARLES, HIS MARCH TOWARD MOSCOW PROVED TO BE HIS UNDOING, AND HIS ONCE GRAND AND VICTORIOUS ARMY WAS SHATTERED BY THE FORCES OF PETER I "THE GREAT" AT POLTAVA ON JUNE 27, 1709.
HE SPENT SEVERAL YEARS IN EXILE IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE BEFORE RETURNING TO SWEDEN TO TAKE COMMAND ONCE MORE. HIS FINAL CAMPAIGN, WHICH SOUGHT TO DRIVE THE ENEMY DANISH KING OUT OF THE WAR BY STRIPPING HIM OF NORWAY, ENDED WITH CHARLES XII BEING SHOT AND KILLED IN 1718.
THE DEATH OF CHARLES XII WOULD MARK THE END OF SWEDEN'S ORGANIZED AND EFFICIENT ABSOLUTIST GOVERNMENT, ITS IMPERIAL WAR MACHINE AND THE SWIFT DECLINE OF ITS EMPIRE.
CONTAINS 3.5 GRAMS OF .976 FINE GOLD (.1098 OZ AGW)
19 MM IN DIAMETER
9,559 MINTED
MINTMASTER "LC"
