Catalog
| Issuer | Wallachia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1364-1377 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Value | 1 Ducat |
| Currency | Ducat (1364-1714) |
| Composition | Silver |
| Weight | 0.76 g |
| Diameter | 16.5 mm |
| Thickness | |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Orientation | |
| Engraver(s) | |
| In circulation to | |
| Reference(s) | MBR#26 |
| Obverse description | Shield divided per pale (split vertically in half). The right half with four bars. The left half empty. Pearled circle around. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Cyrillic |
| Obverse lettering | ☩ Іധ ВЛaД ICЛaВЪ ВОЄВОДa |
| Reverse description | Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) regardant (looking over its shoulder) right, with cross under wing, standing on great helm left. Cross under visor. `∃и` monogram in left field |
| Reverse script | Cyrillic |
| Reverse lettering | Іധ ВЛaД IСЛaВa ∃и |
| Edge | |
| Mint | |
| Mintage |
ND (1364-1377) - - |
| Numisquare ID | 5207755160 |
| Additional information |
Historical Context: This 1 Ducat, issued by Vladislav I (Vlaicu Vodă) between 1364 and 1377, marks a pivotal period in Wallachian history. As an early independent ruler, Vladislav I navigated pressures from Hungary and the burgeoning Ottoman Empire. His reign consolidated Wallachian statehood, establishing its own metropolitan see and a distinct coinage. This silver "Ducat" underscored Wallachia's economic autonomy and its ruler's assertion of sovereignty, despite diverging from Venice's gold ducats.
Artistry: While specific engravers remain anonymous, the coin's artistry reflects Byzantine and local stylistic influences, characteristic of nascent Balkan mints. The design, Type IIIb2, typically features a rudimentary ruler depiction, often enthroned or standing, on the obverse, sometimes with heraldic devices like the Wallachian eagle or a cross on the reverse. Its execution, though unsophisticated by Western European standards, conveys the ruler's authority through simplified, recognizable iconography.
Technical/Grading: Struck in silver, this coin weighs 0.76 grams and measures 16.5 millimeters. As a product of early hammered minting, examples typically exhibit considerable strike variability. High-points, such as the ruler's head or central heraldic elements, are frequently weakly struck or off-center. The flan is often irregularly shaped and thin, leading to planchet imperfections or edge damage. Full, crisp strikes with complete legends are exceedingly rare, making well-centered examples with legible details particularly desirable.