Austria 1 & 4 Ducats

1) Recognition - Name - Country of Origin
The Austrian 1 and 4 Ducat are widely recognized gold coins from Austria. The Ducat gold coins bearing the minting date 1915 are official re-strikes by the "Austrian Mint," which is the official and sole minting institution of the Republic of Austria with an 800-year history. These gold coins are highly popular and well-known, with a fineness of 986/1000.

2) Description of the Coin
The obverse side of the coin features a bust of Emperor Franz Joseph I in profile, adorned with a laurel wreath. The inscription reads "FRANC IOS I D G AVSTRIAE IMPERATOR" (Franz Joseph I, by the Grace of God, Emperor of Austria). In contrast, the single Ducat shows only the head of the monarch, without the bust. The reverse side depicts the imperial double-headed eagle with the coat of arms. The eagle carries the imperial sword and an orb in its talons. The inscription reads "LOD ILL REX A A 1915-HVNGAR BOHEM GAL" (King of Lodomeria, Illyria, Hungary, Bohemia, and Galicia). The number "4" is missing from the inscription on the single Ducat. The edge of the Ducat is reeded.

3) Face Value - Legal Tender - Value
The gold investment coins are historical collector's items and are no longer legal tender. In 1858, the Ducat lost its status as legal tender in Austria due to the Vienna Mint Treaty of 1857.

4) Other Units - Denominations
Other denominations, meaning fractional sizes smaller or larger than 1 or 4 Ducats, are not available, as shown in the table below:

5) Special Features - Minting Years - History - Mintage
The origins of the Ducat date back to the Middle Ages in Venice and were also minted in Austria from the 16th century. In 1858, the Ducat lost its function as an official means of payment in Austria. However, Emperor Franz Joseph I had approved the minting of additional gold coins as trade coins one year earlier. The 1 and 4 Ducat coins were officially minted until 1915, with annually changing minting dates. An original Ducat refers to those gold coins minted with the dates 1852-1914. All Ducats bearing the minting date 1915 are official re-strikes by the Austrian Mint. The fourfold Ducats are relatively large gold coins but very thin, weighing just a little over 1/3 of the 1-ounce Vienna Philharmonic.