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10 Gold Ducat - Mihai Viteazul
| Issuer | Wallachia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1600 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Hammered |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The reverse features a prominent six-line Latin inscription occupying the central field within a beaded inner circle, reading A:D: VIGILANTIA VIRTUE ET ARMIS VICTORIAM NACTUS 1600, referencing the prince's victories achieved through vigilance, virtue, and arms. The surrounding outer legend, separated by a beaded border, continues the titulature: ET BANATUS MEI TRANSYLVANIAE PRINCEPS, affirming Michael's dominion over Transylvania and the Banat. The date 1600 appears prominently at the base of the central inscription. Decorative scroll ornaments separate text elements within the field. The entire composition reflects the celebratory character of this impressive presentation piece struck at Alba Iulia. |
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| Additional information |
Mihai Viteazul's 1600 ducat was struck at a pivotal and extraordinarily brief political moment — the year he simultaneously held Wallachia, Transylvania, and Moldavia, the only time in history a single ruler controlled all three Romanian principalities. The union lasted less than a year before Habsburg and Polish intervention dismantled it, and Mihai was assassinated in August 1601.
Fr#1 designation reflects just how singular this piece is in Friedberg's gold coinage references. Surviving examples are exceptionally rare, and the question of whether multiple dies were used or a single working die accounts for all known strikes remains unresolved among specialists.