C302 is one of the great rarities of the 1771 skilling series. Dated 1779 and probably struck very early after production resumed in Copenhagen that year, only six examples are currently known to us.
The coin may also have had an unusually short production run for reasons unrelated to wear. The two coins dated 1779 were probably made before a production halt in October/November. On November 16, the Treasury Department decided to continue backdating the mintage in line with the current practice at Altona. We therefore speculate that C302 may have been taken out of production early — before it cracked — simply to bring the appearance of the Copenhagen coins back into line with the established 1771 date.
On the other hand, both Schou's staniol copy of Bruun's coin and Bruun's recently resurfaced duplicate show a noticeably worn reverse die, with the letters visibly worn down at their centres. The rarity of C302 therefore does not necessarily reflect an administrative withdrawal alone; the die may simply have deteriorated quickly towards the end of its short working life.
Together with C301, C302 therefore forms a brief and fascinating 1779 interlude before Copenhagen returned to the frozen date. Unlike C301, C302 also links directly to the later 1771-dated production through its obverse, CO302, which was subsequently paired with C303 and C304.
Stolberg's Coin
(Private Collection, Ex Stolberg)
C302 - Stolberg
CO302 - Stolberg
Glückstadt's Coin
(The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals in Copenhagen, Ex Glückstadt)
C302 - Glückstadt
CO302 - Glückstadt
Bruun's Coin (Staniol copy)
(L.E. Bruuns Coin and Medal Collection, Copenhagen - Schou's staniol copy, made by H.H. Schou, coin collector and catalogue editor, in the early 20th century)
C302 - Bruun
CO302 - Bruun
Bruun's Duplicate
(Ex L.E. Bruuns Coin and Medal Collection, Auction 12th October 1925; Last observation: OMG Auction 20, 4th October 2026, lot 169, realized price of DKK 22,800)
C302 - Bruun's Duplicate
CO302 - Bruun's Duplicate
The 5th Coin
(Private Collection, Last known transaction in August 2026, realized price of DKK 7,200)
C302 - The 5th Coin
CO302 - The 5th Coin
The 6th Coin
(Private Collection, Earlier a part of Provinsbanken's coin collection sale in 1985 (DKK 3,000); Last observation: BR Auction 2547, 23rd November 2025, lot 5212, realized price of DKK 26,928)