Austrian Ducat

Austria began minting Ducats in the early 16th century and were used as units of account in European countries; including Holland, Russian, Austria, and Sweden. This particular coin is the Franz Joseph I Austrian Ducat and contains 23¾ carats of gold (98%), making them amount the highs purity gold coins ever issued for circulation. They were minted throughout the 19th Century and into the 20th Century.