Ducats ... Ducats ... Ducats

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A new Ducat

Well everyone its been a slow year for me regarding new world gold acquisitions ... imho the world gold coin market is near the "bubble" state.

However I did acquire this nice ducat this week.

Netherlands (Kingdom of Holland)
1810 Ducat
NGC MS62

 

nice

but gold isnt going to burst anytime soon

 

Thanks Doug, you made my point exactly regarding not gold bullion but world gold coins. If I wasn't a true collector ....... I be selling!! One day, looking back, I may regret not doing just that

 

Very nice!

Regards,
Ballabh Garg

 

Doug knows it already, I will write for rest of you - this is not 3rd lowest mintage ever. With 3605 pcs minted this coin is quite common in comparison with these ones:
GEL 1797 - 420 pcs (found only in Krause, don't mentioned in Besier's Mint reports and not listed in Delmonte)
HOL 1591 - 560 pcs (listed in Besier, but added in Delmonte's supplement with correct R4 grade, missed in his first book)
HOL 1806 - 526 pcs (known fact, R4 grade)
HOL 1614 - 2800 pcs (found only in Delmonte's supplement without rarity grade, Besier wrote "40 mark in common for single and double ducats - it is weight of 1400 double ducats or 2800 single ducats")
WFR 1774 - 3220 pcs (Medemblik Mint) (listed only in Besier)
ZWO 1674-1683 (1760 pcs during 10 years period according to mint documents, in fact ducats were struck in two years, listed correct in Delmonte as 1774 and 1776, both with R3 rarity)
ZEL 1683-1685 (3 yrs, ducats and double-ducats in common) - 49 mark (3430 pcs of SINGLE ducats) *
ZEL 1687-1688 (2 yrs, ducats and double-ducats in common) - 42 mark (2940 pcs of SINGLE ducats) **

* Delmonte supplement listed it as 1715 pcs in common! Probably wrong, it has to be only two ducats and no single ducats at all to receive 1715 pcs from 49 mark of gold. But Delmonte listed single ducat of 1683 as R2 rarity in the same book.
** The same. Delmonte supplement listed it as 1470 pcs in common! Probably wrong, it has to be only two ducats and no single ducats minted to receive 1470 pcs from 42 mark of gold.

 

This coin is listed in Delmonte, but as Conrad said - not in "Benelux d'Or". This book was written in 1964. 14 years later was published "Supplement to Benelux d'Or" and coin is listed there under number 965 without rarity grade, but with mintage of 6505 pcs.

 

Every time I see this coin I am smiling. This is one of the most beautiful coins from your collection for me. Next to few Dutch ducats of course.

 

In West Friesland mint was moving from one city to another every 3 years (that's was idea, life changed that). In August 1589 three year period of the Hoorn Mint ended and the Mint transfer should be done to Alkmaar. However the West Frisian towns were not so inclined to do so. In the session of the 28th March 1589, partly to reducing costs, they requested reduce membership to five cities. Suggested was: Alkmaar, Hoorn, Enkhuizen and Medemblik and one of the wetlands cities - Edam and Monnikendam in cooperation as one city, alternately for six months. Finally West Friesland ducat was minted in Hoorn, Enkhuizen and Medemblik, few years in every mint. Last ducats from Einkhuizen were struck for Holland province, but it never work opposite way! Dordrecht was fighting with West Friesland mints many years and for sure did not struck W-Fr coins.

1586 was indeed the first year of minting of the Netherlands-United Provinces' ducat. Of course in 1583 Holland struck first ducat (Hungarian type) but most people used to treat 1586 as the first year of commonn coinage. I think we can note also one mint - there were also other ducats from Overijssel province, double ducats Spanish type struck since 1582 to 1593.

 

I use nickels to calibrate my scale. They weigh exactly 5.0 grams when uncirculated.