Austrian Ducat Gold Coin

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• Description
• Specifications
• History
• More Images
• Video
• Links

 

Description

Austrian Ducats gold coins are very thin gold rounds featuring in the obverse the bust of emperor Franz Josef.  In the reverse, the coat of arm of the Austrian crown.  Austrian Gold Ducats were minted in two types.  The “1 Ducat” denomination, and the “4 Ducat” denomination.

The Austrian gold Ducat coin main feature is the thinness.  See specification.  These gold coins are among the thinnest coins minted.  They are basically the thinnest possible gold round that still has structural rigidity.

 

Specifications

Fineness:	98.6% – 23.7 Karat
Minting:	Obverse: Bust of Franz Josef – Reverse- Austrian coat of arms
Diameter:	19.6 mm 1 Ducat / 39 mm  4 Ducat
Thickness:	0.8 mm 1 Ducat / 0.9 mm  4 Ducat
Total Mass:	3.49 g  1 Ducat /  13.96 g  4 Ducat
Fine Gold Mass:	3.44 g  1 Ducat /  13.77 g  4 Ducat

 

History

Ducats gold and silver coins date back from the medieval to the early 1900s.

The word “Ducat” is a derivative of the word “Duke”.  A duke was the ruler of a “Duchy”, which is a self governing territorial unit.  The “Duke” ruled over a “Duchy”, and the coins of the duchy were the “Ducats”.  Thus, the word “Ducat” means “the coin of the duke”.  The duke is the 6th highest chivalric rank.  Duke are not extinct.  Although they are not as big time as before, they are still thriving in Europe.

Dukes were very powerful individuals, and often, went up the chivalric ladder.  Most likely the word “duke” is a derivative of the Latin word “dux” wich is a term used for leader.  What is now Russia started as the duchy of Moscow.  Needless to say, they, they were able to create their own coins.  Thus the ducats.

Ducats were minted by the duchies of Venice,  Hungary and many others.  In a way, given the variations, the ducat was like the dollar.  At that time here were Venician, Hungarian, and many other types of ducats.  Today there American, Australian, Canadian and many other types of dollars.

Ducats came in multiple types.  Just about every duke had his own type of ducat.  However, all of ducats were of either silver or gold alloy.

Franz Josef Austrian gold ducats were officially minted until 1915.  However, there were re-strikes of this coins well into the late 20th Century.  Thus, that an Austrian gold Ducat coin is dated for example “1915” does not mean that the gold coin is necessarily that old.

More Images

 

 

Video

Links

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ducat
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_and_noble_ranks