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1 Ducat - Frederick William I
| Issuer | Prussia, Kingdom of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1733-1734 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A crowned Prussian eagle displayed in flight, wings outstretched and head turned, rendered in fine relief against an open field. Below the eagle, the abbreviated mint and engraver initials E•G•N• appear alongside a decorative floral ornament, with the date 1733 completing the lower legend. The composition is characteristic of Baroque German coinage of the early eighteenth century. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
Frederick William I famously despised court extravagance and ran Prussia on a war footing even during peacetime, yet the ducat — minted primarily for diplomatic gifts, trade with the east, and officer pay — was an instrument he could not abandon. His gold issues were produced in small quantities at the Berlin mint under tight fiscal supervision, which accounts for their persistent scarcity in today's market.
The 1733–1734 window coincides with the War of the Polish Succession, during which Frederick William nominally backed Augustus III while maneuvering to avoid direct military commitment. Ducats from this period likely served subsidy and mercenary payment functions along the eastern frontier.