1 Ducat Gold Coin

Ducats were a gold trade currency that was used in many European countries, including Holland, Austria, Italy, and Sweden starting from the 13th century. Austrian 1 Ducat Gold Coin was first minted in the 16th or 17th century and is still minted by the Austrian Mint. The coin specifications has not change through the time and they are as follows:

Austrian 1 Ducat 1915
Reverse



Austrian 1 Ducat 1915
Obverse

For sake of accuracy, it would be worth mentioning that original 1 Ducat gold coin minted from 1598 to 1779 was very slightly heavier (3.50 g) and had a very slightly larger gold content (0.1109 oz). The 1 Ducat gold coin with the specs in the table above was issued from 1705 and to the present time and as you can see for a period of years there were coins issued with double standards.

Another thing that must be mentioned that all 1 Ducat gold coins dated 1915 had not actually been minted in 1915 at all – they are all re-strikes issued in later years, including present time. There is an explanation for this: following an old Austrian tradition, coins and commemorative coins in particular can be issued posthumously, meaning that they are issued after a death of a certain monarch still bearing his portrait. That's how we have famous Maria Theresa silver Thalers of 1780 and 1 Ducat gold coins of 1915.

Gold and silver coins minted in medieval times were very thin and as the 1 Ducat gold coin inherited its design from the coins of that time, it is indeed a quite thin coin – 0.8 mm only – which is quite unusual for gold coins we see at this days. 1 Ducat gold coin is a very high purity gold coin, having 0.9860 of the gold composition, which is about 23 3/5-karat, making this coin one of the most pure gold coins ever minted. Only in recent years, some bullion gold coins were minted with a 0.999 gold composition (24-karat), but for a gold coin of the 17th century or even earlier, it was a very high purity.

And the last thing to notice: Austrian 1 Ducat gold coin issued before 1915 would have been valued for their numismatic worth and there're some 1 Ducat gold coins that cost thousands of dollars. But if the 1 Ducat gold coin bears the 1915 date, it means that it's a re-strike and it should be valued only for its gold content as any other bullion gold coin.

You can see current listings for Austrian 1 Ducat gold coins here: