Beautifull coins Cucumbor! I really like the early Napoleon AV 20 Francs/ the Charles VII Ecu d'or also very nice!!!!!!! Congratulations on your new treasures... John
Anybody have a definitive explanation for the difference between a Ducat and a Zecchino? My newest addition..,,..
Aren't the two terms pretty much the same when it comes to gold coins from Venice? The Venetian piece (Au986, 3.49g) was initially called ducat, I think. But Venice also issued silver ducats, so the name zecchino was used for the gold coins. If I am wrong, somebody will hopefully correct me. In any case, nice coin! Christian
I agree, they have same weight/ finess. I find that the term zecchino was used for AV coinage from some Italian States/ Crusader coinage, just like the Ducato was used in some Spanish Kingdoms. In Shakespear's play, "The Merchant of Venice" Shylock borrowed 3000 Dukats/ should have been 3000 Zecchini That was a heck of a lot of money. Venice ended up striking the heaviest AV coin, the 105 Zecchini= 10 1/2oz./365g. It would be nice if they found the original dies for the 100 Dukaten Transylvania/ Michael Apafi.....I line up to buy a freshly struck 350g. coin, beats lining up for a silly newest edition smartphone at Apple retailer
Another job lot from an auction - I paid about USD75 for the lot but I hope some of them are better than scrap?
Those are great and a great buy. Good for you. Personal favorite is the 1917 (type 2) US Standing Liberty quarter. That's an easy Very Fine in the USA and looks like nice original surfaces. I have and would pay $30-50 USD for ones like that. Plus, these are part of my 'long-term hold" collection. Other nice ones in the lot (to me at least) are the Russian 50 Kopeck and the 1901 Canada quarter. The quarter is easily worth $25-30 US.
My eye caught the ZAR 6 pence and shilling right away. Those coins are becoming more expensive all the time. The SLQ is a beauty, love the toning. The good thing about buying a lot like this is that they all are worth at least melt, and most are worth considerably more. You done good.
I was picking up some gold for my collection and was surprised by a friend giving me a couple of old foreign coins. I don't know much about them but I think the one is a 1775 Taler and the other an 1891 Gersh. Any feedback on them would be much appreciated.
1st coin is from Ethiopia 1891A, Gersh denomination, KM#12, .835 silver, mintage-4,000,000 not sure on the value ? my Krause catalog is from 2004 2nd coin is from German States/Brandenburg-Ansbach, thaler denomination, silver, looks like KM#302 (without Order Star below bust). KM#301 (with Order Star below bust). hard to tell without the coin in my hand. with star is worth way more money. cool coin none the less.
Got this one for under melt... Don't happen very often... Kinda makes up for some of my not so smart purchases.