Skruvdalern i Uppsala universitets myntkabinett: ett mynt fyllt med konst

The Uppsala university coin cabinet harbours a
rather unusual numismatic treasure, a ‘screw-
thaler’ from Augsburg, produced in the second
half of the 17th century. The object combines two
thalers from Augsburg, one from 1632 portraying
the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus, and the
other one coined 1658 displaying the city of
Augsburg. One side of both coins is polished as
well as hollowed out, and the rim remade into
screw threads. Thereby the thalers are converted
into a little coin-shaped box. Inside the screw-
thaler you find two watercolours on paper,
one showing a man, the other a woman, both
wearing contemporary clothing. Besides the
watercolours the ’box’ contains eight pictures
painted on thin sheets made of mica. The mica-
sheets are transparent except where they are
decorated with male and female clothing suitable
for the watercolours. These painted sheets could
then be placed on top of the man or woman and
thereby showing those wearing dif-ferent dresses.
Screw-thalers were popular gifts and tokens in
the 17th century, and could besides these mica-
sheets mentioned above, contain written notes,
portraits, or paintings illustrating pro-fane or
religious content. The screw-thaler is typical for
early modern art- and craft production meeting
the cravings for shimmering objects with hidden
functions.