Owner Comments:
ND(1356-61) Ducat - Design: OBVERSE: Doge (or Duke) kneeling before a standing figure of St. Mark handing the doge the Venetians’ sacred banner, the gonfalone. Down along the staff of the gonfalone is the word “DVX” – “duke” and the legend reads: SMVENETTI – “Scared Money of Venice” on the left and on the right GIO°DOLPHYNO – “Giovanni Dolfin” the name of the Doge. ~ REVERSE: Christ standing within a mandorla, with stars of heaven to either side, 4 stars on the left and 5 stars on the right; holding his right hand in benediction and the book of the Gospels in his left. The legend, in abbreviated Latin, SIT TIBI CHRISTE DATUS QUEM TU REGIS ISTE DUCATUS - “May This Royal Ducat (Duchy) Be Dedicated To Thee O’Christ”
Mint: Venice (Zecca)
Mintage: Unknown
References: Fr. 1224
Specifications: Diameter – 20.0 mm
Weight – 3.500 g. @ 0.9860 Gold = .1107 oz AGW
Acquired: May 2006
Providence: None
Notes:
Ø Type I design. This design continued basically the same from 1285 until 1797 when Venice was captured by Napoleon.
Ø Doge Giovanni Dolfin was the 57th Doge of Venice. There was a total of 120 Doges from Year 697-1797
Ø Saint Mark is the patron saint of Venice
Ø The Venice (Zecca) Mint opened in 1284 and Venice soon became the primary market for gold in the world. In 1285 the first Venetian gold ducat was minted at 3.5 grams of .986 gold. These specifications for the ducat would remain the same until today. This coin, the “Ducat” became a symbol of wealth and power for the next 500 years.
Ø Considered by many to be the most important coin of the Middle Ages.