Norway, 10 Kronors, from the series Coins of All Nations (N72, variation 1) for Duke brand cigarettes 1889

This is Norway, 10 Kronors, from the series Coins of All Nations (N72, variation 1) for Duke brand cigarettes, produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. between 1870 and 1920. These cards were inserted in cigarette packs as collectibles, reflecting a globalizing world seen through the lens of American commercial interests. This card reduces Norway to a caricature, a trope that reveals more about the company's perspective than about Norwegian identity itself. Note the figure, laden with what appears to be a fisherman's catch, pipe jutting from his mouth, juxtaposed with the coin, a symbol of national value. The series presents a world neatly organized by currency, yet it's impossible to ignore the power dynamics at play. What does it mean to flatten cultural identity into a collectible commodity? Whose stories are amplified, and whose are silenced in this exchange? Consider this card as a relic of a bygone era, one that invites us to reflect on the complex relationship between commerce, representation, and cultural identity.