$70,278.00 USD
The 1776 Netherlands 1/4 ducat pattern dates to the late Dutch Republic era (1581-1795) and represents a special off-metal striking in gold of what would normally be a silver coin design.
Obverse: Features the classic standing knight motif typical of Dutch ducats. The armored figure holds a sheaf of arrows in his left hand and rests a sword on his right shoulder. The date 17–76 is split on either side of the figure. Around the knight is the Latin motto CONCORDIA RES PARVAE CRESCUNT (abbreviated as CONCORDIA RES PAR. CRES.), meaning “Through unity, small things grow.”
Reverse: Displays a crowned shield of Zeeland featuring a rampant lion emerging from waves. Encircling this is the legend MO. NO. ARG. PRO. CONFOE. BELG., identifying it as a coin of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, despite its gold off-metal pattern striking.
The coin is an off-metal strike produced in gold using the dies of a quarter silver ducat. While quarter silver ducats (or 6 stuiver coins) were normally struck in silver (about 7.0 g), this special piece was struck in gold for presentation or proof-of-concep. The 1776 Zeeland 1/4 ducat in gold was denominated as 2½ ducats (weighing ~8.35 g of .986 fine gold)
The date 1776 carries additional historical interest, as the Dutch Republic was secretly supporting the American Revolution at that time – a fact that would lead to the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War a few years later. These factors – its unique production as a gold pattern, the classic iconography of the Dutch knight, and the resonance of the year 1776 – contribute to the coin's historical significance and desirability among collectors.
The MS63 grade for this 1776 1/4 ducat pattern signifies an exceptional survivor that stands above virtually all other known specimens. Its superior preservation, combined with the coin's inherent rarity, marks it as a trophy piece in any advanced world coin collection.
8.39g Pattern. TOP POP. None graded higher..
