Catalog
3 Ducats
| Issuer | Moldavia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1857 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | P#A1 |
| Obverse description | The denomination "3 Ducats" appears in the upper left and upper right corners, flanking a central vignette of the Moldavian coat of arms. Bilingual text in Romanian and French is arranged below the central arms. The overall layout follows a symmetrical letterpress format typical of mid-19th century fiscal documents. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Reverse appears to be blank, without printed design or lettering. |
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| Comments |
Moldavia's 3 Ducat note of 1857 is among the earliest paper issues from any Romanian principality, predating the formation of the United Principalities under Alexandru Ioan Cuza by two years. The choice of "ducat" as the denomination unit is telling — no Moldavian ducat coin existed in contemporary circulation; the term was a reference denomination used to anchor paper value to a familiar historic concept rather than a functioning metallic standard.
Giesecke & Devrient had only recently established themselves as a banknote printer when this commission was placed, Leipzig being a natural choice for a principality still within the Ottoman sphere but actively cultivating Western European institutional credibility.