Austrian 4 Ducat Gold Coin

Four Ducats in One Broad, Thin Coin

The Austrian 4 Ducat holds four times the gold of the single ducat, 13.96 grams at .986 fine, spread across a coin so broad and thin that it reads more like a medal than a bullion piece. It is only 0.7 mm thick. Like the 1 Ducat, it carries Emperor Franz Joseph I and the frozen date 1915, and it comes from the Austrian Mint in Vienna.

Franz Joseph in Full Dress

The larger coin gave the engraver room the single ducat never had. Franz Joseph faces right in a laurel wreath tied with ribbons, but here the portrait runs down to his chest: a high embroidered collar, a heavily decorated uniform and the orders he wore as emperor, all worked in fine relief. The legend FRANC IOS I D G AVSTRIAE IMPERATOR names him Emperor of Austria by the grace of God. The other side carries the crowned double-headed Habsburg eagle with the arms of Austria on its breast, a sword in one talon and an orb in the other, his royal titles around the rim, 1915 at the top and a bracketed 4 at the base. Friedrich Leisek engraved both sides.

Thin Gold Needs Care

At 0.7 mm, the 4 Ducat is unusually thin for its weight, and .986 gold is soft. Hold it by the edges, keep it in a holder, and do not flex it. A thin flan shows every fingerprint and contact mark, and once bent it stays bent. That broad, shallow surface is exactly what makes the portrait so detailed.

Struck Long After 1915

Franz Joseph died in 1916, and nearly every 4 Ducat dated 1915 is an official Austrian Mint restrike struck after his reign. CoinVarieties records 496,501 pieces restruck between 1920 and 1936 alone, and dealers report the Mint still strikes the 1915 date today. Coins from different decades cannot be told apart, and our Specifications tab lists condition as various, so expect anything from bright to lightly handled.

Austrian 4 Ducat Specifications

Each coin weighs 13.96 grams at .986 fine gold, is 0.7 mm thick with a reeded edge, and carries a 4 Ducat denomination. Full current details are on the Specifications tab above.

Austrian 4 Ducat FAQ

How does the 4 Ducat compare with the 1 Ducat?

It holds four times the gold, 13.96 grams against 3.49, at the same .986 fineness. The portrait is larger and shows Franz Joseph’s decorated uniform, where the 1 Ducat shows only his head.

Why is the coin so thin?

The ducat standard fixes weight and fineness, and the 4 Ducat spreads that gold across a broad face to carry a detailed portrait. The result is a coin just 0.7 mm thick.

How many 4 Ducats were made?

The total is not published as a single figure. CoinVarieties records 496,501 restruck between 1920 and 1936, and the Austrian Mint has struck more since.

Is the Austrian 4 Ducat IRA eligible?

No. Gold in a precious metals IRA must be at least .995 fine, and the ducat is .986.

What condition will my coin be in?

Our Specifications tab lists condition as various. Coins range from bright to lightly handled, and the thin flan shows marks easily.

Want the smaller version of the same coin? See the Austrian 1 Ducat Gold Coin.

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