IOHAN · III · D · G · R, IR under crown // Three stacked lions surrounded by legend MO · NOVA · REVA · ("New coin of Reval"). Reval mint. 17mm, 1.02 grams. Ahlström# 43; Haljak II# 1210, Fed# 219, Saur# 5248, MB# 15.

John III of Sweden (1537–1592) was King of Sweden from 1568 to 1592, the son of Gustav I Vasa and the brother of Eric XIV, whom he deposed to take the throne. His reign was marked by efforts to balance Lutheranism and Catholicism, reflecting his personal leanings influenced by his Polish Catholic wife, Catherine Jagiellon. John sought to reconcile with the Catholic Church while maintaining Sweden’s independence, leading to the creation of the Red Book, a liturgical compromise that stirred religious tension. He continued conflicts with Russia and Denmark, notably the Livonian War, and attempted to strengthen royal authority. His son, Sigismund, would later become both King of Poland and King of Sweden, further entangling Sweden in religious and dynastic conflicts.