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4 Ducats - Ferdinand II
| Issuer | Kingdom of Aragon |
|---|---|
| Year | 1479-1516 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | X FERDINANDVS R DEI GRACIA ARAGON VA C A |
| Reverse description | Central field occupied by the crowned arms of Aragon — a shield bearing the four pallets (pale stripes) of the House of Barcelona — surmounted by a royal crown with fleur-de-lis and beaded base. Small decorative stars flank the shield on either side within the inner beaded circle, with the mintmark letter S visible to the right of the shield. The circumferential Latin legend TRIVNFATOR ET CATOLICVS CRISTIANIS L S proclaims Ferdinand as Triumphator and Catholic King of Christians, a title formally granted by Pope Alexander VI in 1494. Word separators consisting of small pellets or rosettes divide the legend. The engraving is executed in a confident late Gothic style consistent with the Zaragoza mint's output during Ferdinand's reign. |
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| Additional information |
Ferdinand II's 4-ducat pieces occupy an awkward historical position: struck during the years of the Catholic Monarchs' joint rule, yet issued under the Crown of Aragon's independent monetary authority, which Ferdinand fiercely protected against Castilian encroachment. The union with Isabella was personal, not institutional — Aragon and Castile maintained separate coinages, separate mints, separate systems throughout their joint reign.
The Aragonese ducat standard followed Venetian weight conventions closely, a deliberate alignment with Mediterranean trade networks where Aragonese commercial interests — Naples, Sicily, Sardinia — demanded recognizable, trusted gold.