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1620, France/Germany, Metz (City). Rare Gold Gulden (Early Ducat) Coin. 3.28gm!

Mint Period: 1620-1645 Denomination: Gold Gulden (early Ducat) Reference: Friedberg 164, KM-13 ($825 in VF / $1650 in XF!). RR!  Mint Place: Metz City (located in France, listed in KM under German States!) Condition: Pierced at 12 o'clock, a marginal scrape in reverse, otherwise a ncie XF! Diameter: 23mm  Weight: 3.28gm Material: Gold

Obverse: Standing figure of Saint Stephen, holding palm-branch in right hand.All within oval double-border. Legend: * S ° STEPHA * - * PROTHO * M )

Reverse: Halved shield (coat-of-arms of Metz) within tessure. Legend: + FLORENVS CIVITATIS ° METENSIS °° (crescent) * (crescent)

Metz city wass accorded the right to mint its own coins in 1383, which production came to an end after the conclusion of the Peace of Westphalia, the treaty ending the Thirty Years´War in 1648. The city and surrounding territory then formally passed to France. The last city coinage was struck in 1650!

Stephen /ˈstiːvən/ (Greek: Στέφανος Stéphanos, meaning "wreath, crown" and by extension "reward, honor", often given as a title rather than as a name), (c. AD 5 - c. AD 34) traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity, was according to the Acts of the Apostles a deacon in the early church at Jerusalem who aroused the enmity of members of various synagogues by his teachings. Accused of blasphemy, at his trial he made a long speech denouncing the Jewish authorities who were sitting in judgment on him and was then stoned to death. His martyrdom was witnessed by Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee who would later become a follower of Jesus and known as Paul the Apostle. The only primary source for information about Stephen is the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles. Stephen is mentioned in Acts 6 as one of the Greek-speaking Hellenistic Jews selected to participate in a fairer distribution of welfare to the Greek-speaking widows. The Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox Churches, and the Church of the East venerate Stephen as a saint. Stephen's name in the original Greek of the Acts of the Apostles is given as Stephanos, meaning "crown". Traditionally, Stephen is invested with a crown of martyrdom; artistic representations often depict him with three stones and the martyr's palm frond. Eastern Christian iconography shows him as a young, beardless man with a tonsure, wearing a deacon's vestments, and often holding a miniature church building or a censer.

Authenticity unconditioanally guaranteed.

Metz is a city in the northeast of France, capital of the Lorraine région and préfecture of the département of Moselle. It is located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.

Although historically Nancy was the capital of the duchy of Lotharingia, it was Metz which was chosen as the capital of the newly created région of Lorraine in the middle of the 20th century, because of its past history as the capital of the region of Lotharingia - an origin found much more republican-friendly than the duchy-related theory, pointing to Nancy as the region capital.

In the twelfth century, the burgesses began efforts to free themselves  from the domination of the bishops. In 1180, the burgesses formed a  close corporation, the Tredecem jurati, which were appointed as  municipal representatives in 1207. The burgesses were still nominated  directly by the bishop, who had also a controlling influence in the  selection of the presiding officer of the board of aldermen (which  originated in the eleventh century). The twenty-five representatives  sent by the various parishes held an independent position; in judicial  matters they helped the Tredecem jurati and formed the  democratic element of the system of government. The other municipal  authorities were chosen by the town aristocracy, the so-called  Paraiges, i. e. the five associations whose members were selected from  distinguished families to protect the interests of their relatives. The  other body of burgesses, called a Commune, also appears as a Paraige  from the year 1297; in the individual offices it was represented by  double the number of members that each of the older five Paraiges had.  Making common cause, the older family unions and the Commune found it  advantageous to gradually increase the powers of the city as opposed to  the bishops, and also to keep the control of the municipal government  fully in their hands and out of that of the powerful growing guilds, so  that until the sixteenth century Metz remained a purely aristocratic  organization. In 1300 the Paraiges gained the right to fill the office  of head-alderman, during the fourteenth century the right to elect the Tredecem jurati,  and in 1383 the right of coining. The guilds, which during the  fourteenth century had attained great independence, were completely  suppressed (1383), and the last revolutionary attempt of the artisans  to seize control of the city government (1405) was put down with much  bloodshed.

The city had often to fight for its freedom; from 1324-27 against the Dukes of Luxembourg and Lorraine, as well as against the Archbishop of Trier;  in 1363 and 1365 against the band of English mercenaries under Arnold  of Cervola, in the fifteenth century against France and the Dukes of Burgundy,  who sought to annex Metz to their lands or at least wanted to exercise  a protectorate. Nevertheless it maintained its independence, even  though at great cost, and remained, outwardly at least, part of the German Empire, whose ruler, however, concerned himself very little with this important frontier stronghold.

The recognition by the empire of the surrender of Metz to France came at the conclusion of the Peace of Westphalia. By the construction of the citadel (1555-62) the new government secured itself against the citizens, who were discontented with the turn of events. Important internal changes soon took place. In place of the Paraiges stood the authority of the French king, whose representative was the governor. The head-alderman, now appointed by the governor, was replaced (1640) by a Royalist Mayor. The aldermen were also appointed by the governor and henceforth drawn from the whole body of burgesses; in 1633 the judgeship passed to the Parliament. The powers of the Tredecem jurati were also restricted, in 1634 totally abolished, and replaced by the Bailliage royal.

Among the cities of Lorraine, Metz held a prominent position during the French possession for two reasons: In the first place it became one of the most important fortresses through the work of Vauban (1674) and Cormontaigne (1730); secondly, it became the capital of the temporal province of the three bishoprics of Metz, Toul, and Verdun, which France had seized (1552) and, by the Peace of Westphalia, retained. In 1633 there was created for this "Province des trois évêchés" (also called "Généralité des trois évêchés" or "Intendance de Metz") a supreme court of justice and court of administration, the Metz Parliament. In 1681 the Chambre Royale, the notorious Assembly chamber, whose business it was to decide what fiefs belonged to the three bishoprics which Louis XIV claimed for France, was made a part of this Parliament, which lasted, after a temporary dissolution (1771-75), until the final settlement by the National Assembly in 1789, whereupon the division of the land into departments and districts followed. Metz became the capital of the Department of Moselle, created in 1790. The revolution brought great calamities upon the city. In the campaigns of 1814 and 1815 the allied armies twice besieged the city, but were unable to take it.

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