Ducat

The Dukat or ducats (also known as sequin or Zecchine ) is a gold coin that was spread throughout Europe. It has a fineness of 986/1000 and weighs about 3.49 g ( Fine weight about 3.44 g).

Venetian ducat or Zecchine

For the first time ducats were minted in 1284 in Venice. The front of the Venetian ducat shows Saint Mark the Handing over the cross flag to the Doge. The back has the image of Jesus in a mandorla.

The name Dukat comes from the inscription on the back of the first imprints: Sit tibi Christe datus quem tu regis iste Ducatus ( " You, Christ, this duchy which you rule be given "). The Venetian Ducat is ( ital zecchino ) also called sequin or Zecchine. The name is derived from the Italian zecca ( ​​" mint ", " mint " ), of the Arab. sikka ( " embossing die " ) is derived.

In Venice ducats were minted until the end of the Republic in 1797 with the same coin image and virtually unchanged Fine Weight ( gold content ). Thus the Venetian ducats were for centuries the most stable currency in the world.

Prevalence and significance of

Worldwide

From Venice to ducats have spread across the entire continent of Europe and the Orient. In particular, for the 14th and 15th centuries, the ducat is likely to be regarded as world trade coin, which was also used as a measure of weight comparisons.

In contrast to similar Goldgulden the ducats had, in fact largely stable fineness, which explains its general popularity. From ducats also multiple and partial face value for gift purposes or special occasions were coined, such as lamb ducat of Nuremberg 1632-1806 in clip form.

German -speaking

In Germany they were in 1559 declared the Royal Mint in 1857 and repealed in the territory of the German Customs Union.

The in Saxony from about 1587 to 1838 marked ducats ( and August d'or ) the mint Dresden and Leipzig were temporarily Silberkurantwährung, but clearly had a cash function. Their value was traded on exchange lists of stock exchanges in 1780 between 66 and 68 Gr Gr 8 Pf Pf 3 in " Saxon Courant ", ie about 2.75 Reichstaler.

Whether the Austrian ducats of the 19th century ever were legal tender, is controversial and depends on the definition of currency and cash. Busy, however, that they were not allowed to be considered as legal tender since 1858.

In the 19th century the German ducat coinage fell sharply and took more and more medals character, see, eg, the Bavarian Isar, Danube, Rhine gold or gold Kronacher yield ducats. Popular ducats were the last of the 19th century as baptism and sponsor gifts.

Today's Copies

To date ducats in Austria (as well as the silver Maria Theresa thaler ) are nachgeprägt for gift and collecting tank purposes. This is the official restrike of ducats from 1872-1914 with the belorbeerten Headshot of Emperor Franz Joseph I. The Restrikes show almost uniformly the year 1915. During the rare year 1951 is a fault of the engraver.

Weight and fineness correspond to the historical standard of coinage, after the from a Viennese Mark ( 0.280668 kg ) of fine gold 81189/355 pieces were beat. The fineness of 9861/9 thousandths results without taking into account manufacturing tolerances Total weight of 3.490896 g with a fine gold content of 3.442411 g, corresponding to 0.110676 troy ounces.

Is also nachgeprägt the Austrian 4 ducat piece with corresponding four-fold weight and gold content. This coin with belorbeertem length portrait of Franz Joseph I. has a diameter of 39.5 mm and is therefore sensitive from thin gold sheet.