Historical city seal returns to Kerteminde after 400 years thanks to local family’s funding

A small historical city seal from Kerteminde, measuring just 7×4 centimeters, has returned home to Funen after approximately 400 years. The seal was discovered on sale at an art auction in Barcelona, prompting a scramble to raise funds for its purchase. The city council of Kerteminde quickly agreed that it was important to bring this piece of history home, but the municipal treasury did not have the required 11,000 euros (approximately 82,000 kroner). The Andersen family, owners of the Fayard shipyard, guaranteed the payment of up to 11,000 euros, which was the estimated and purchase price.

After a long journey via London, the seal has now arrived back in its hometown and has been unveiled to the public. The seal is Kerteminde’s third city seal and is believed to date from the late 16th century. It displays a large, three-masted ship and the text “Sigillum Civitatis Carthamundensis”, which translates to “The Seal of the City of Kerteminde”.

“This particular seal means a lot to Kerteminde’s history. It represents Kerteminde’s golden years, and the ship motif has been incorporated into Kerteminde’s coat of arms until the municipal reform in 2007. It is a motif that has been associated with Kerteminde’s identity and history for over 400 years,” says Mette Ladegaard Thøgersen, museum director.

The seal was used by the city council to authenticate important documents. The oldest document in which it was used dates from 1608, when Kerteminde was a major port for Odense. The seal is now on display at the historical city museum Farvergården in Kerteminde, where everyone is welcome to see it for free. The museum has invested in secure display cases to ensure the seal does not disappear from its hometown once again.