Ducat SK 2024 - Maria Theresa - Wife proof

Maria Theresa - this is the theme of the fourth Ducat series of the Czech Mint in 2024, which was created for Slovak collectors and investors. The gold ducat features the famous woman in the role of a wife.

Maria Theresa's husband Franz Stephan of Lorraine became Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, but the real power was held by the heiress of the Habsburg legacy herself. The monarch, whose title was of little political significance, nevertheless managed to assert himself. He was a talented entrepreneur who saved the treasury from bankruptcy on several occasions, and from the shadow of his famous wife he secretly pulled the strings of high politics. The couple, who were equal partners, together founded the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty. When Franz Stephan died unexpectedly, Maria Theresa was deeply affected by his death. She had all the colours removed from her life and, as a sign of her grief, she wrapped herself in a black gown, which she did not remove until the end of her days.

The obverse side of the ducat, the work of Slovak medal maker Branislav Ronai, presents a double portrait of Maria Theresa and František Štěpán Lotrinský. The additional motif is the famous Holíč ceramics, which were produced in the Emperor's manufactory. The reverse side is dedicated to Maria Theresa herself.

The commemorative mintage of only 100 pieces respects the specifications defined by the first Republican St. Wenceslas Ducats.