Currencies/German soesling
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Introduction
The Søsling (also spelled Soesling) was a small silver or billon coin used in northern Germany and Denmark during the late Middle Ages and early modern period. It functioned as a regional low-denomination currency, mainly in Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, and other Hanseatic territories, linking the German and Danish monetary systems.
History
The Søsling originated in the 14th century as a minor subdivision of the Schilling and Mark used in northern Germany. It circulated primarily in the Duchy of Schleswig and Duchy of Holstein, both under strong commercial and political influence from the Hanseatic League and the Kingdom of Denmark. The coin’s name derives from the Old Danish søsslingr, meaning a “small piece” or “sixth part,” indicating its fractional value.
The Søsling remained in limited use through the 16th and 17th centuries, especially in border trade between German and Danish towns such as Flensburg, Lübeck, and Kiel.
As coinage systems became standardized under national currencies, the Søsling gradually disappeared by the 18th century.
Coins
Søsling coins were typically struck in billon or low-silver alloy, small in size and simple in design. They often bore city crests or ducal symbols, such as the Holstein nettle leaf or Lübeck’s double cross. Their denominations varied regionally, but in most systems, 6 Søsling = 1 Schilling, reflecting their role as fractional currency for daily trade.
Currency
The Søsling belonged to the Hanseatic and Danish coin systems, operating under conversions like: 1 Mark = 16 Schilling = 96 Søsling. It served as petty currency for market transactions, taxes, and wages in coastal trade centers of the Baltic and North Sea regions.
Legacy
The Søsling illustrates the shared economic culture of northern Germany and Scandinavia during the Hanseatic period. Its name and structure influenced later Danish and German low-value coinage traditions. Today, surviving Søsling coins are rare and of high interest to collectors of medieval and early modern northern European money.