Sell Austrian Gold Ducats

Austria began producing its own Ducats in the early 16th century, and they continued to be the official legal tender of Austria until 1858.

At this time, the Austrian Ducat was scheduled to lose its status as legal tender in 1858, but the Emperor of Austria saved it from fading into history by issuing a proclamation approving the Austrian Ducat for further production as a trade coin in 1857.

With their reprieve, the One Ducat coins and the Four Ducat coins continued to be produced every year until 1915, when the rigours of World War I began to take its toll on the country and forced the end of the Austrian Ducat as well as other gold. coinage in Austria.

The Austrian One Ducat's and Four Ducat's obverse sides bear the likeness of the Austrian Emperor and King of Hungary, Franz Josef I, the last great monarch of Europe, who ruled over Austria and Hungary for 70 years until he died in 1916. During the course of his rule, history witnessed the execution of the Emperor's brother, Maximillian, the suicide of his son, Rudolph, who was found alongside his mistress, the murder of his wife Elisabeth, and the assassination of the Emperor's nephew and heir, Francis Ferdinand - which many people cite as the beginning of World War I.

The Austrian One Ducat's reverse side shows the Hapsburg dynasty's fierce double-headed imperial eagle. Because the Hapsburg emperors believed that they had inherited the Holy Roman Empire, and thus the world, they designed the double-headed eagle, which could look both east and west at the same time. The majestic eagle holds a sword and sceptre in its right talon and a cross-bearing orb in the left.

All Austrian Ducats are minted in almost pure gold of 23.75 carats or a .9860 fineness. The Austrian Four Ducats minted before 1830 have a gold content of 0.4438 troy ounces and from 1835 forward they have had a gold content of .4430 troy ounces. One Ducat coins made from 1598 to 1779 have a gold content of 0.1109 troy ounces - except for 1705 to 1779 when the coins held either 0.1109 or 0.1106 troy ounces of gold. Following 1779, the official gold content of the Austrian One Ducat was set at 0.1106 troy ounces.