4 ducats of Austria - 13,76 g gold coin *immediately available *in stock*

The ducat shown here with the portrait of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I is a reprint that was issued with the last official year of the ducat. The ducat has its beginnings as a currency in Venice in the 13th century. The wide-ranging trade relations of the Venetians made the ducats so well-known throughout Europe that even the princes began to shape their own ducats. However, most ducats come from Austria, but the production was discontinued due to the First World War.

The obverse depicts Emperor Franz Joseph I with a laurel wreath and FRANC IOS I G AVSTRIAE IMPERATOR on the edge of the coin. Translated this lettering means Franz Joseph I by the grace of God Emperor of the Austrians.

The reverse shows the double-headed eagle, the heraldic animal of the Austrian Empire. Around the eagle are the year of engraving and another lettering in Latin, which reads LOD ILL REX A 1915 HVNGAR BOHEM GAL (King of Lodomeria, Illyria, Hungary, Bohemia and Galicia).

The fourfold ducat has a weight of 13.964 g and a gold content of 13.769 g. This results from the fineness of 986/1000, since copper was used as alloying metal to make the coin more scratch resistant.

The ducat ultimately convinces with its history and its consequent reputation.

Image is symbolic photo.

Due to Swiss VAT legislation, the purchase of this coin is subject to VAT at the rate of 8.1 %.