Description
Dutch Republic, the Netherlands, Gold Ducat (3.44g, 21mm), 1763, Utrecht mint. Obverse: Dutch Knight stands facing to the right, adorned in studded armour and wearing modestly plumed helmet, wielding sword in right hand which rests on his shoulder and holding a bundle of seven arrows, representing the seven united provinces of the Netherlands, aloft in his left, date to field either side, Shield of Arms of Utrecht as mintmark above, legend surrounds, “CONCORDIA· RES PAR· CRES· TRA·”. Reverse: Legend central in five lines within square panel framed within ornate mantle, “MO: ORD: PROVIN. FOEDER BELG· AD LEG· IMP.”. Fr-285; Delm-965. Light crinkling of flan typical of the type and with minor marks, a lovely example otherwise with bright gold gleaming at each rotation, good Very Fine.
The obverse Latin legend reads “concordia rēs parvæ crēscunt, Trāiectum”, with an English translation of “Small things thrive/come to be through unity, Utrecht”. The reverse Latin legend reads “Monēta ōrdinum prōvinciārum foederātōrum Belgicārum ad lēgem imperiī”, with an English translation of “Money of the federated provinces of Belgium in accordance with the law of the realm”.
The Dutch Republic gold Ducat was one of the denominations chosen during the Australian Proclamation of 1800 by Philip Gidley King, the Governor of New South Wales. In order to retain coinage within the Australian colony, each ‘Proclamation coin’ was given a high face value – the Ducat was revalued to 9 Shillings 6 Pence. Although a monetary piece struck by Dutch Republic and her colonial territories, is still considered a piece of Australia’s early colonial history as a proclamation piece.