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Dutch Gold Coin

Type Object Region Netherlands Time 1586–1800

In 1586 the Dutch provinces began minting the standard gold ducat (gouden ducat), which became an important hard currency for international trade and…

Timeline

  1. 1586Netherlands · NetherlandsIn 1586 the Dutch provinces minted gold ducats modeled on the Venetian ducat, specifying gold content and weight to replace the chaotic wartime subsidiary coins with a unified standard, facilitating settlement in domestic and foreign trade.
  2. c. 1590–1600Amsterdam · North HollandIn the 1590s Amsterdam became a hub of Baltic and Mediterranean trade, and the Dutch gold ducat was widely accepted due to its stable fineness, used in the spice trade with the East, Baltic grain transactions, and European exchange.
  3. 1602–1700Dutch Republic and overseas trade networks · NetherlandsAs commercial institutions such as the Dutch East India Company expanded in the 17th century, the gold ducat circulated with fleets and trading posts to Asian and American ports, becoming one of the iconic gold coins of the early modern global trade network.

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