$3,519.00 USD
Struck at the Utrecht Mint during the Dutch Republic era, this 1757 gold ducat exemplifies the enduring design and high-quality craftsmanship that made Dutch ducats a trusted standard in international trade for centuries. The coin's consistent design and gold content facilitated commerce across Europe and beyond.
Obverse: Features a standing armored knight facing right, holding a sword in his right hand and a bundle of arrows in his left, symbolizing unity and defense. The Latin legend reads: CONCORDIA RES PARVAE CRESCUNT (“Through unity, small things grow”), with the date "1757" divided on either side of the figure.
The Utrecht ducat (Province of Utrecht) carries the familiar knight motif: an armored knight holding a sword and a bundle of arrows, with the legend "Concordia Res Parvae Crescunt – Traiectum" (Latin: "Unity makes small things great – Utrecht").
Reverse: tablet legend reads "Moneta ordinum provinciarum foederatorum Belgii ad legem imperii" (the coin of the United Provinces by law of the Empire). This design changed little from the 17th through the 18th centuries. As a result, 1757 and neighboring dates (1755–1759) share the same basic types – only details like tiny punctuation or mintmarks vary.
The Gold Ducat was globally significant: it had a sterling reputation for weight and purity and "for centuries…[was] an important means of payment in international trade," widely accepted in Scandinavia, Poland, Russia and in trade with Asia. These coins played a crucial role in Dutch commercial dominance, facilitating trade with the Baltic states, Russia, and the East Indies.
In short, the Utrecht ducat 1757 is a classic example of the famous Dutch Golden Ducat series, combining the knight-and-arrows design with a long history as a world trade coin. Its historical significance as a stable, widely accepted currency of international commerce enhances its appeal to collectors of world trade coinage.
In other words, an AU (About Uncirculated) coin shows light wear on its devices, whereas MS61 shows no wear but is only modestly well-struck and has several surface marks. In practice, MS61 is just above the uncirculated baseline; it is distinguishable from MS60 by slightly fewer marks and stronger eye appeal, but is not near gem quality.
1757 Netherland Ducat Utrecht Francis I MS61 3.45g
