Ducat

      		 This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2013)
      Austrian gold ducat depicting Kaiser Franz-Josef, c. 1910

      The ducat or dukat /ˈdʌkət/ is a gold coin that was used as a trade coin throughout Europe before World War I. The etymological origin of the name is from Medieval Latin "ducatus", and initially meant "duke's coin" or a "duchy's coin".[1] There have been many types of ducats throughout history of various metallic content and purchasing power.

      History

      The first issue of this type of coin is thought to have been under Roger II of Sicily, who, in 1140, coined ducats bearing the figure of Christ, and the inscription, Sit tibi, Christe, datus, quem tu regis iste ducatus (or roughly, "O Christ, let this duchy which you rule be dedicated to you." This seems to be a reference to Matthew 22:19-21).

      The ducat was introduced by the Republic of Venice in 1284 under the Doge Giovanni Dandolo (1280–1289). The Venetian ducat, ducato, then called zecchino since 1554–1559, featured the Doge kneeling before St. Mark on the obverse and Jesus on the reverse. During the Middle Ages the ducat gained much popularity, as it was easy to mint, and packed quite a value in one relatively small coin. Several cities and small states in Europe – mostly Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages – issued multiple, single and fractional ducats. The standard of coin was adopted in Hungary; and for a long time all foreign coins bore the name Ongri, Venetian for "Hungarian", where the trade of the world at this period was concentrated. They did not become popular in Germany until a later date.

      The Golden Bull of Charles IV gave to all members of the empire the privilege of issuing gold coins, with any stamp they chose; but these were only gold guilders, equivalent to the florin.

      Ducats became a standard gold coin throughout Europe, especially after it was officially imperially sanctioned in 1566. The ducat remained sanctioned until 1857. There was also a silver ducat minted in many European nations. The Royal Dutch Mint still issues silver ducats with a weight of 28.25 grams.

      The most common type of ducat were the old Dutch ducats, bearing the impression of an armed figure, which gave way, for a short time only, to the figure of Louis II of Flanders. They circulated almost as merchandise, but had been frequently counterfeited in the Grisons. The counterfeits were very good in appearance, both in weight and sound.

      According to 1913 Webster the ducat[which?] was worth the equivalent of "nine shillings and four pence sterling, or somewhat more than two dollars. The silver ducat is of about half this value." Even now some national mints produce batches of ducats made after old patterns as bullion gold and banks sell these coins to private investors or collectors.

      ↑Jump back a section

      Ducat mints

      Roger II of Sicily
      +IC XC RC IN ÆTRN, nimbate bust of Christ facing, holding Gospels R•R SLS, King Roger and, R•DX•AP, Duke Roger (son of Roger) standing facing, holding long cross between them; AN R X along staff of cross.
      AG: scyphate ducalis or ducatum
      Austrian four ducats, c. 1915 (official restrike)
      ↑Jump back a section

      References

      1. ^ [1]
      ↑Jump back a section

      External links

      Look up ducat in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
      Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ducat
      ↑Jump back a section
      Last modified on 31 May 2013, at 01:16