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1 Ducat - Charles IV
| Issuer | Kingdom of Bohemia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1355-1378 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | Don#835 |
| Obverse description | Enthroned frontal effigy of King Charles IV (Karl IV), crowned and nimbed, holding a sceptre in his right hand and an orb in his left, rendered in the Gothic style characteristic of 14th-century Bohemian coinage. The regal figure is depicted with a long beard and formal royal vestments. A continuous Gothic legend in uncial Latin script encircles the central device within a beaded border. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | KAROLVS D G GRACIE (Translation: Karl, by the grace of God) |
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| Additional information |
Charles IV acquired the Bohemian crown in 1347 and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in Rome in 1355 — the same year this ducat series begins. The coin's existence owes directly to the Golden Bull of 1356, Charles's constitutional decree that codified the electoral process of the Empire and, crucially, affirmed Bohemia's status as the premier electorate. That political elevation made a robust gold coinage both a practical necessity and a statement of standing among the imperial princes.
The Florentine ducat standard Charles adopted had been the dominant trade gold in Central Europe since the late 13th century. Bohemian mining output from the Kutná Hora silver deposits funded the broader monetary ambitions of his reign.