SEAL MEDAL OF KING FREDERIK III

 

In 1660, at the end of the Dano-Swedish War of 1658-1660, King Frederik III of Denmark-Norway had become unusually popular among the citizenry of Copenhagen due to staying in the city during the long siege by the Swedish army. The King took advantage of his popularity and outmanoeuvred the privy council at the Rigsdag, granting him absolute powers. Before then, the king had to answer to the privy council and the nobility, but now all power was in the hands of the king. He was an absolute monarch.

The transferral of all power to the king took place in many European royal houses at that time, but in Denmark, quite unusually, it was written down and made into law. This law, the King's Act, was signed in 1665 and attached to it was the newly made Royal Seal, big and imposing to reflect the new powers of the king.

The seal was engraved by Jeremias Hercules, and the king must have liked it, as he had copies made in silver to give as presents to dignitaries. We don't know how many seal medals were struck and how many reside in museums or royal collections abroad, but they almost never appear for sale. Restrikes were made in the 19th and early 20th century, but these are equally rare. One such restrike can be found in the fabled L. E. Bruun Collection.

Lars Emil Bruun's collection, which Stack's Bowers Galleries has been chosen to sell, holds many amazing medals, but few, if any, are as impressive as this, measuring 92 mm (3.6 inches) and weighing almost 300 grams (10 ounces). The obverse shows the king on his new throne, crowned and holding sceptre and orb, symbols of his divinely given power. Lions adorn the throne, referring to the Throne of Solomon (1 Kings 10). Flanking the king are the arms of Denmark and Norway. The reverse of the seal medal shows the Danish arms again, transposed on a crowned cross, all surrounded by 15 coats of arms of the lands and counties of the realm (even some that were no longer part of it). Both sides are framed by the king's titles in Latin.

Graded MS-62 by NGC, the seal medal, impressive in both condition, size and historical significance, will be offered in the L. E. Bruun Collection Part IV sale, taking place in New York on March 24-25, 2026. It will be joined by a plethora of highly graded Scandinavian coins and medals. For collectors of historical medals, Scandinavian coinage and highly graded (Top Pop) world coins, this sale cannot be missed.

To read the complete article, see:
Absolutely Majestic (https://stacksbowers.com/absolutely-majestic/)

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