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Popular Archaeology Coins suggest city of Agsu in Azerbaijan played a role in trade with other European countries. 
A cache of 37 gold coins was uncovered by archaeologists at an archaeological site in Azerbaijan. The site, known as Agsu, features the remains of an 18th century medieval town. Led by Dr. Gafar Jabiyev of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, the excavation team has, since 2010, been conducting large scale excavations at the location, where they have revealed structures related to a bath house, a major mosque, streets, a pool, dwellings, an underground water system, and artifacts such as iron and copper items, faience dishes made in China and Europe, glassware produced in England, local faience and pottery ware, and copper and silver coins.Among the most sensational finds, however, was the cache of 37 gold coins, unearthed in June, 2012, and then turned over to the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan after preliminary research work had been completed. The coins were identified as Dutch gold ducats, a form of trade currency common in Europe during the 18th century. The Dutch ducat was for a time considered to be a predominant trade unit, as significant as the U.S. dollar is today. Historically, ducats generally became standard gold coinage throughout Europe before World War I, particularly once they were imperially sanctioned beginning in 1566. The most common type of ducat was the Dutch ducat, bearing the impression of an armed figure, and the Royal Dutch Mint still issues silver ducats weighing 28.25 grams and some national mints produce ducats using the old patterns as bullion gold with banks selling the coins to private investors or collectors. According to the director of the Museum, Academician Naile Velikhanly, the new Agsu treasure is "a sensationally significant find for our history". The archaeologists hope that finds like these will continue to shed light on the economic and cultural life of Agsu and the role it played in European trade during the 18th century.
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