1 Ducat - Richard

Richard of Palatinate-Simmern ruled a minor Rhenish duchy that punched well above its economic weight in gold coinage, largely because the Wittelsbach family connections demanded it for diplomatic gift-giving and treaty payments rather than everyday commerce. His ducats of this period conform to the Venetian ducat standard that had dominated European trade since the 13th century — a deliberate choice that kept the coins fungible across merchant networks far beyond the Rhine.

Noss Pfalz #300 is the standard reference for attribution, though die variation within this reign is underreported and specimens frequently surface with subtle differences in the inner circle treatment.