4 Ducat Gold Coin
  Specs: Comprised of 0.4430 ounces of pure gold with a fineness of .986 fine. A large 40 millimeter diameter and almost paper thin thickness of 0.7mm! The obverse of the coin features the laureate head, facing right, of Emperor Franz Joseph I and the reverse features the arms of Austria superimposed upon a crowned double-headed Imperial eagle. The edge of the coin is reeded which adds to its beauty. A unique coin in design, color and thinness (which was inherited from medieval coins). Gold Austrian Ducats were first minted in 1612. Gold Ducats were used for trade coinage and at that time there were Ducats or trade gold coins similar to them in many countries.Some countries minted their trade coinage based on the Austrian Gold Ducats. Two denominations of Austrian Ducats are 1 Ducat and 4 Ducats, which both have high gold composition of 0.986, with 1 Ducat coins containing only 0.1106. The last regular issue of 4 ducats was in 1914. All the 4 ducats dated 1915 are re-strikes, of which there were 496,501 struck between 1920 and 1936. Four Ducat coins dated 1915 are still being produced by the Austrian Mint today as official re-strikes. |