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5 Ducats - Christian IV
| Issuer | Denmark |
|---|---|
| Year | 1588-1648 |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | Half-length armored effigy of King Christian IV facing three-quarters to the right, depicted in full plate armor with an elaborate gorget and richly detailed cuirass, holding a scepter or baton in his right hand; a small orb or bird is visible at upper right. The figure occupies the central field, enclosed within a beaded inner circle. The surrounding Latin legend reads CHRISTIANVS IIII D G DANIÆ NORV VAND GOTO Q REX, identifying the king as Christian IV by the grace of God, King of Denmark, Norway, the Wends and the Goths. The hammered execution exhibits characteristic relief variation typical of early seventeenth-century Danish gold coinage. |
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| Mintage | ND (1588-1648) IH |
| Additional information |
Christian IV's reign began when he was eleven years old, and Denmark's gold coinage of the period reflects the ambitions of a king who would spend lavishly on architecture, naval expansion, and ultimately ruinous military adventures. The Thirty Years' War proved catastrophic — Denmark's intervention ended in the 1629 Peace of Lübeck, stripping the crown of considerable influence and revenue. Multi-ducat pieces like this five were not pocket change; they functioned as diplomatic gifts, military payments to mercenary commanders, and instruments of court prestige.
Fr#70 is among the rarer Christian IV gold issues, with surviving examples concentrated in Scandinavian institutional collections.