Riksbank issues commemorative coin to mark the 150th anniversary of Sweden’s first postage stamp

Date 07/10/2005

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Sweden's first postage stamp the Riksbank is issuing a commemorative coin. The coin has a face value of SEK 50 and the sales price has been set at SEK 60. The coin is being issued in a limited edition of 100,000.

The commemorative coin has been made from an alloy known as "Nordic Gold", which is composed of 89 per cent copper, 5 per cent aluminium, 5 per cent zinc and 1 per cent tin. The coin weighs 22 grams and has a diameter of 36 millimetres.

The obverse of the coin shows a 4-skillingbanco postage stamp and the legend "SVERIGES FÖRSTA FRIMÄRKE 150 ÅR" (SWEDEN'S FIRST STAMP 150 YEARS) inside a frame. On the left is the year "1855" and on the right "2005".

The reverse of the coin shows a winged letter flying over a landscape with houses and woodland, with a road traversing the landscape. On the letter is a French horn (the symbol of the Swedish Post Office). The denomination 50 KR is on the right. The coin has a smooth edge.

The artist is Annie Winblad Jakubowski. The coin is being minted by Nordic Coin AB Svenska Myntverket in Eskilstuna.

The commemorative coin will go on sale on 14 October.

The coin can be ordered from Nordic Coin AB Svenska Myntverket's website , see link below, telephone +46 16 42 81 00; or via its sales company Mynthuset (formerly Myntverket Moneta), see link below, telephone +46 40 602 82 60. The coin can also be purchased at the Royal Coin Cabinet's shop, located at Slottsbacken 6 in Stockholm.

Low and high resolution pictures of the coin can be found on this website, see the internal links below.