Help identifying a gold coin (Italian?)

airplanenut

I've really got no idea on this one. Something makes me think it might be Italian and from around the 1500-1600s, but beyond that guess, I can't figure it out. Any help would be appreciated. The piece is 3.64g and 19mm.

Thanks!

Jeremy

JohnnyCache

I'm not familiar with the coin but it does seem like you're possibly on the right track thinking it's Italian.

From a quick scan of a couple of gold coin books I have, the closest that I was able find that somewhat resembled the coin shown here were those from the Venice region of Italy.

It seems like it has similar elemental characteristics to those coins from Venice Italy only somewhat more crude.

I know it's a little bit of a stretch to see the comparison, but what I'm thinking is perhaps the coin depicted here is a bit older than the 1500-1600 date range that your thinking???

Attached are some pictures. Maybe someone else can add some insight or either rule this out as a possibility.


Best of luck finding out what it is.



JC

airplanenut

Thanks, Johnny. My date estimate was based on the fact that it's pretty well struck and circular. My experience (limited at it is) says that the hammered coins of even the 1400s tended to be much cruder overall. But this is all just conjecture on my part.

Nap

Would venture to guess this is an imitative ducat. These were struck in India probably 18-19th century. Some are gold, some are gold plated.

They are cruder style than the real Venetian ducats.

They appear from time to time at auction (I.E. here and here)

STLNATS

Would venture to guess this is an imitative ducat. These were struck in India probably 18-19th century. Some are gold, some are gold plated.

+1. In addition to the very crude style compared to the issues of Venice, these also have nonsense legends. Privately made for jewelry, etc. and I'm not sure that they aren't fairly recent. Weight seems reasonable so hopefully it is of fairly good gold content.

airplanenut

Thanks again for the help! That looks like a pretty good answer to me.