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12 Ducats - Ferdinand Klagenfurt
| Issuer | Archduchy of Austria |
|---|---|
| Year | 1522-1530 |
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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 | Central device depicts the Virgin Mary enthroned in majesty beneath a rounded Gothic arch supported by two columns, flanked by rampant heraldic supporters — a stag to the left and a horse to the right — amid foliate decoration. The Virgin is shown full-length, crowned and holding a sceptre, with the Christ Child seated upon her lap. The lower portion of the field is occupied by a five-line devotional inscription in Latin capitals drawn from Isaiah 7:14, referencing the prophecy of Emmanuel. A border of stylized oak leaves frames the entire composition. The reverse reflects the deep Marian piety characteristic of early Habsburg devotional coinage. |
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| Additional information |
Ferdinand I inherited the Austrian hereditary lands in 1521 following the death of his grandfather Maximilian I, and these large multiple-ducat presentation pieces were struck at Klagenfurt — the capital of Carinthia — as diplomatic gifts and display objects rather than circulating currency. The 1520s were an exceptionally pressured decade for Ferdinand: Ottoman forces under Suleiman the Magnificent were advancing through Hungary, and the need to cultivate alliances and demonstrate Habsburger wealth was acute. Pieces like this functioned as portable political capital.
Klagenfurt's mint output for this period is poorly documented, and survivors in any condition are rare. The .986 fineness exceeds the standard ducat specification of .986 — essentially pure gold by contemporary refining limits.