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1/2 Ducat - Maria Theresa
| Issuer | Transylvania, Principality of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1770-1780 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/2 Ducat |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | M THERESIA D G / R I HUN BOH REG (Translation: Maria Theresia Dei gratia Romanorum imperatrix, Hungariae, Bohemiae regina) |
| Reverse description | A displayed double-headed imperial eagle, each head surmounted by a separate crown and both united beneath a large imperial crown at the top, the whole rendered in fine detail typical of Habsburg gold coinage. The eagle's wings are spread wide, with elaborately engraved feathering. At the centre of the eagle's breast hangs a quartered shield bearing the arms of Austria and Hungary. The mintmaster initials H S appear in the lower field between the eagle's talons, with the denomination 1/2 below, and the date 1780 incorporated within the surrounding legend. The circular legend AR AU DUX BU M P / TRAN CO TYR reads around the periphery, recording the ruler's titles as Archduchess of Austria, Duchess of Burgundy, Margravine of Moravia, Princess of Transylvania, and Countess of Tyrol. |
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| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
Maria Theresa issued coinage for Transylvania as a distinct political entity under her rule, separate from the broader Habsburg monetary apparatus. The Karlsburg (Alba Iulia) mint struck these fractional gold pieces during a decade when Theresian administrative reforms were actively restructuring Transylvanian fiscal policy, including the suppression of traditional noble tax exemptions that had long complicated revenue collection in the principality.
The .986 fineness is notably high — finer than contemporary Viennese ducats struck to the standard .979 touch.