Sweden, Kingdom. Gustav III CU 5 Kopeck. Avesta mint, 1788. Crowned double-headed eagle facing, wearing shield on breast depicting St. George slaying the dragon, and holding sceptre and orb; crown above, E-M across lower fields, denomination in scroll below / Crowned monogram within wreath; false date across fields. Bitkin Φ1288. 53.25g, 43mm, 12h.

Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare.

From the collection of GK;
Ex Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG, Auction 113, 21 June 2006, lot 2503.

This extremely rare coin was part of a secretive issue minted in the Swedish town of Avesta in 1788, which the Swedes attempted to pass off as authentic Russian coins. The issue was intended for use by Swedish troops, who were at that time engaged in a war with the Russian Empire and who had need for coinage to pay Russian workers they had contracted on the border. The issue was minted with three different dates - 1764, 1778 and 1787 - to avoid any suspicion that might arise from large numbers of coins from the same year turning up in one place.