Torben Hoomann

When Gustav II Adolf and his troops conquered parts of Livonia in the early 17th century, no one knew if the Swedes would stay or if Poland would retake the land. However, the Swedes remained in control for over 90 years, until 1710, when Russia took over. During this time, Livonia experienced many events that shaped the country, including the prosperous reign of Queen Christina, the shilling catastrophe caused by counterfeit copper shillings from Wallachia, and the repeated outbreaks of plague. These events had a significant impact on the small circulating coins of the region. The book "1000 Shillings Vol. 1" provides a detailed examination of the incredible variety of shillings and farthings (dreipölker) that were used in Livonia during this time. The book also considers the equivalent coins from Swedish-occupied Elbing and the associated shilling counterfeits. The book takes a top-down approach, starting with the material-specific features of the coins and then moving on to the manufacturing and minting processes. The coins are identified down to the level of individual dies. The book also emphasizes the applicability of its contents to coins from other regions and times. As a result of this study, a number of previously undescribed coin varieties have been identified. The book also combines observations from the coins with historical events. Additionally, the book introduces a new method for estimating the quantities of coins produced at the time and a new system for structuring coins. These findings are supported by a large number of detailed photos and illustrations. The separate catalogue "1000 Shillings Vol. 2" supplements this volume by presenting the entire database of nearly 1400 coins and summarizing the results for each coin in tabular form with photos.