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1/4 Ducat - Frederick William I
| Issuer | Prussia, Kingdom of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1715 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Highly elaborate crowned royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, comprising a quartered shield displaying the heraldic devices of approximately forty fiefs, arranged in a grid-like composition beneath a royal crown. The arms are rendered in fine detail with lions, eagles, and other dynastic symbols filling the individual quarters. The mint initials and date appear in the exergue below the shield, separated by a central dot. |
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| Additional information |
Frederick William I ascended the Prussian throne in 1713 and almost immediately dismantled the elaborate court culture his father Frederick I had built — slashing expenditures, disbanding the arts academy, and redirecting royal funds into military expansion. That a quarter ducat was struck at all in 1715 is somewhat at odds with his character; the "Soldier King" had little patience for ceremonial gold coinage and preferred his money spent on grenadiers.
The Fr#2336 designation places this among the rarest fractional gold issues of the early Hohenzollern kingdom, with surviving examples traced almost entirely to old European cabinet collections rather than circulation finds.