⅓ Thaler – Swedish dominion of Pomerania

In 1763, Swedish Pomerania, a remnant of Sweden's 17th-century imperial power on the southern Baltic coast, was a monetary island within the German economic sphere. The official currency was the Swedish riksdaler, divided into 48 skilling, but this system existed largely on paper for state accounting. In daily commerce, the reality was a chaotic jumble of circulating coins. German Reichsthalers, Mecklenburg thalers, and a plethora of smaller regional and foreign coins from neighbouring German states all circulated freely, their values fluctuating based on metallic content and local trust. This proliferation undermined the Swedish monetary authority and complicated trade.

The situation was exacerbated by the recent Seven Years' War (1756-1763), which had devastated the region. While Swedish Pomerania itself saw limited direct combat after 1760, it suffered from economic disruption, military contributions, and the inflationary pressures common across war-torn Europe. The need to finance the Swedish garrison and administration, coupled with disrupted trade routes, likely led to a shortage of good specie and an increase in debased or foreign coinage, further distorting the local economy.

Consequently, the monetary landscape was one of dysfunction and fragmentation. Swedish authorities in Stralsund struggled to impose order, but their control was limited. The economy operated on a practical, day-to-day basis using a confusing array of coins, with merchants and money changers determining actual exchange rates. This instability highlighted Sweden's weakening grip on its German possession and reflected the broader challenges of maintaining a coherent monetary system in a politically fragmented region recovering from a continental war.