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1 Ducat - Frederick William Guinea-Ducat

Issuer Mint of Brandenburg (Berlin/Königsberg)
Year 1682-1686
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Currency Thaler (1618-1701)
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Obverse description Draped bust of Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, facing right, wearing armor and a flowing cravat, his long curly hair falling over his shoulders in the baroque fashion of the period. The effigy is rendered in high relief with fine detail to the breastplate and lace neckwear. A circular Latin legend surrounds the portrait, running along the toothed inner border of the coin. Mintmaster initials appear in the lower field.
Obverse script Latin
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Additional information

Frederick William, the "Great Elector," used gold ducats of this period partly as diplomatic instruments — gifts to Swedish and Imperial officers whose goodwill he needed while maneuvering Brandenburg through the aftermath of the Franco-Dutch War. The Guinea-Ducat designation reflects the use of African gold imported through Dutch trading networks, a sourcing distinction that mattered to recipients who knew the difference.

The Berlin and Königsberg mints shared production across this four-year window, which accounts for the die varieties cataloged under Schröter 137 and its variants. Pieces struck at Königsberg tend to show slightly different edge characteristics.

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