ERIC·XIIII · D · G · RE, E and 65 under crown // Three stacked lions surrounded by legend MO · NOVA · REVA · ("New coin of Reval"). Reval mint. 17mm, 0.91 grams. Ahlström# 32; Haljak II#1180, Fed# 200.

Eric XIV of Sweden (1533–1577) was king from 1560 to 1568, the eldest son of Gustav I Vasa. His reign began with ambition and reform—he sought to strengthen royal authority, modernize administration, and expand Sweden’s influence in the Baltic region, particularly through involvement in the Livonian War. However, his rule grew increasingly erratic and authoritarian. Eric became deeply suspicious of the nobility, leading to a series of arrests and executions known as the Sture Murders in 1567, which shocked the kingdom and eroded his support. Declared insane and unfit to rule, Eric was deposed by his half-brothers, including John III, in 1568. He was imprisoned and later died under mysterious circumstances in 1577—likely poisoned. His reign is remembered for both its early promise and tragic descent into paranoia and instability.