Gold and silver coronas of Austria were issued during the reign of Franz Joseph I. During the monetary reform, which had begun on August 2, 1892, a new coin, the corona, was introduced into circulation. It was minted from gold and silver until 1918, the year when Austria-Hungary collapsed.
Two types of gold and silver coronas were minted on the territory of the empire – Austrian and Hungarian. The empire had a dualistic government system and was divided into the Cisleithania and Transleithania.
Austrian coins contain texts only in German and Latin and their design is different from Hungarian. It shows Austrian royal regalia. The design of coins of the same face value underwent changes during years of minting. Also there were issued commemorative coins for the 60th anniversary of the reign of Franz Joseph I in 1908.
Austrian coronas of silver and gold
Silver coins
1 corona denomination
- Years of minting: 1892-1907.
- Metal: silver/copper(835/165).
- Weight: 5 g.
- Diameter : 23 mm.
- Thickness: 1.5 mm.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I with a laurel wreath on his head in the center of the coin. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: In the center of the coin there is a symbol of the empire – the crown. The face value is indicated under it – “1”. There are laurel branches on both sides of it.The year of minting is at the very bottom.
- Minting: 1908.
- Metal: silver/copper(835/165).
- Weight: 5 g.
- Diameter: 23 mm.
- Thickness: 1.5 mm.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center of the coin. There`s a text around the portrait:«FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: A complex central composition consists of a royal crown framed by rays. The period of the 60-year reign of Franz Joseph I – “1848” and “1908” is on both sides of it.The initials of the king «FI1» are situated under the crown on the background of the laurel branch. There’s a text around this composition «DVODECIM LVSTRIS GLORIOSE PERACTIS». The face value of the coin «1 COR.» is shown at the very bottom. The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
Austrian 1 Silver corona 1908 coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
- Years of minting: 1912-1916 гг.
- Metal: silver/copper (835/165).
- Weight: 5 g.
- Diameter: 23 mm.
- Thickness: 1.5 mm.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center. There`s a text around the portrait: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: There’s a symbol of empire in the center of a coin – the crown. The face value of the coin «1» is shown under it. The laurel branches are on both sides of them. The year of minting is at the very bottom.
2 corona denomination
- Years of minting: 1912-1913.
- Metal: silver/copper (835/165).
- Weight: 10 g.
- Diameter: 27 mm.
- Thickness: 2 mm.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center. There`s a text around the portrait:«FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: There’s a two headed eagle with a crown in the center. There is the empire coat of arms on the body of the eagle. It holds symbols of power in its clutches – the sword, scepter and orb. The inscription at the top says «II CORONA MDCCCCXII». There`s a year of minting and a face value “2COR.” below it.
5 corona denomination
- Minting: 1900, 1907.
- Metal: silver/copper (900/100).
- Weight: 24 g.
- Diameter: 36 mm.
- Thickness: 2.6mm.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I with a laurel wreath on his head in the center of the coin. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: In the inner circle of the dotted edge there is a two headed eagle. It wears a crown and instead of its body there’s the empire coat of arms. It holds the sword, scepter and orb in its clutches. In the same circle above his head there’s the inscription: “QVINQVE CORONA”. On the outer circle of the same dotted edging there are 5 circles with the image of the crown, connected by elements of the laurel branches. There`s a year of minting and a face value “5 COR.” below it.
- Minting: 1908.
- Metal: silver/copper (900/100).
- Weight: 24 g.
- Diameter: 36 mm.
- Thickness: 2.6mm.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center of the coin. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: The edge of the coin is decorated with a dotted edge. Along the entire edge there is a text «DVODECIM LVSTRIS 1848 1908 GLORIOSE PERACTIS». There is a running woman with a laurel branch in her hand in the center of the coin. To the left of her the face value “5 COR.” is indicated. It has a small crown. To the right of the woman there is a two headed eagle with symbols of power: the crown, sword, scepter and orb. The coat of arms is in the center.
Austrian 5 Silver corona 1908 coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
- Minting: 1909.
- Metal: silver/copper (900/100).
- Weight: 24 g.
- Diameter: 36 mm.
- Thickness: 2.6 мм.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center of the coin. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: In the inner circle of the dotted edging there is a two headed eagle. It wears a crown and instead of its body there’s the empire coat of arms. It holds the sword, scepter and orb in its clutches. In the same circle above his head there’s the inscription: “QVINQVE CORONA”. On the outer circle of the same dotted edging there are 5 circles with the image of the crown, connected by elements of the laurel branches. There`s a year of minting and a face value “5 COR.” below it.
Austrian 5 Silver corona 1909 coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
Gold coins
10 corona denomination
- Years of minting: 1892, 1893, 1896, 1897, 1905, 1906.
- Metal: gold/copper (900/100).
- Weight: 3.3875g.
- Diameter: 19 mm.
- Thickness: 0.9mm.
- Edge: reeded.
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I with a laurel wreath on his head in the center of the coin. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: There’s a two headed eagle with a crown in the center. The empire coat of arms is on the body of the eagle.The eagle holds the symbols of power – the sword, scepter and orb in its clutches. The inscription at the top says “X CORONA MDCCCCV”. There`s a year of minting and a face value “10 COR.” below it.
- Minting: 1908.
- Metal: gold / copper (900/100).
- Weight: 3.3875g.
- Diameter: 19 mm.
- Thickness: 0.9mm.
- Edge: reeded.
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I with a laurel wreath on his head in the center of the coin. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: There’s a two headed eagle with a crown in the center. The body of the eagle is decorated with the empire coat of arms. The eagle holds the symbols of power – the sword, scepter and orb in its clutches. The inscription at the top says “DVODECIM LVSTRIS GLORIOSE PERACTIS”. A little below it the “1848” and “1908” years are indicated horizontally. There`s a face value “10 CORONA” at the very bottom.
Austrian 10 Gold Coronas 1908 coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
- Minting: 1909.
- Metal: gold/ copper (900/100).
- Weight: 3,3875g.
- Diameter: 19 mm.
- Thickness: 0,9mm.
- Edge: reeded.
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: There’s a two headed eagle with a crown in the center. The body of the eagle is decorated with the empire coat of arms. The eagle holds the symbols of power – the sword, scepter and orb in its clutches. The inscription at the top says «X CORONA MDCCCCIX», There’s a year of minting and a face value “10 COR.” below it.
Austrian 10 Gold Coronas 1909 coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
- Minting: 1911.
- Metal: gold / copper (900/100).
- Weight: 3.3875g.
- Diameter: 19 mm.
- Thickness: 0.9mm.
- Edge: reeded.
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: There’s a two headed eagle with a crown in the center. The body of the eagle is flaunted with the empire coat of arms, and it holds symbols of power – the sword, scepter and orb in its clutches. The inscription at the top says «X CORONA MDCCCCXI». There’s a year of minting and a face value “10 COR.” below it.
Austrian 10 Gold Coronas 1911 coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
20 corona denomination
- Years of minting: 1892-1905.
- Composition: gold/copper (900/100).
- Weight: 6.7751g.
- Diameter: 21 mm.
- Thickness: 1.2mm.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I with a laurel wreath on his head in the center of the coin. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: There’s a two headed eagle with a crown in the center. The body of the eagle is decorated with the empire coat of arms. The eagle holds symbols of power – the sword, scepter and orb in its clutches. The inscription at the top says «XX CORONA MDCCCXCIV», There`s a year of minting and a face value “20 COR.” below it.
- Minting: 1908.
- Metal: gold/copper (900/100).
- Weight: 6.7751g.
- Diameter: 21 mm.
- Thickness: 1.2mm.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center of the coin. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: There’s a two headed eagle with a crown in the center. The body of the eagle is decorated with the empire coat of arms. The eagle holds symbols of power – the sword, scepter and orb in its clutches. The inscription at the top says «DVODECIM LVSTRIS GLORIOSE PERACTIS».There are «1848» and «1908» under it and the face value “20 CORONA.” at the very bottom.
- Years of minting: 1909-1915.
- Metal: gold/copper (900/100).
- Weight: 6.7751g.
- Diameter: 21 mm.
- Thickness: 1.2mm.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center of the coin. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: There’s a two headed eagle with a crown in the center. The body of the eagle is decorated with the empire coat of arms. The eagle holds symbols of power – the sword, scepter and orb in its clutches. The inscription at the top says « XX CORONA MDCCCCXV ». There`s a year of minting and a face value “20 COR.” below it.
- Minting: 1916.
- Metal: gold/copper(900/100).
- Weight: 6.7751g.
- Diameter: 21 mm.
- Thickness: 1.2mm.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center of the coin. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG».The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: There’s a two headed eagle with a crown in the center. The body of the eagle is flaunted with the empire coat of arms, and it holds symbols of power – the sword, scepter and orb in its clutches. The inscription at the top says « XX CORONA MDCCCCXVI». There`s a year of minting and a face value “20 COR.” below it.
Austrian 20 Gold Coronas 1916 coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
100 corona denomination
- Minting: 1908.
- Metal: gold/copper (900/100).
- Weight: 33.8753.
- Diameter: 37 mm.
- Thickness: 2 mm.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center of the coin. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG». The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: The edge of the coin is decorated with a dotted line. On the upper left there is the period “1848 1908”, and on the right there is the face value “100 COR.”. There is a woman sitting on a cloud in the center of the coin. The rays of the sun are visiblefrom behind. She has a laurel wreath in her right hand, and she holds a shield with an image of a two headed eagle with the empire coat of arms, the crown, the sword, the scepter and the orb in her left hand. There is a horizontal inscription “DVODECIM LVSTRIS GLORIOSE PERACTIS” below her.
Austrian 100 Gold Coronas 1908 coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
- Years of minting: 1909-1915.
- Metal: gold/copper (900/100).
- Weight: 33.8753g.
- Diameter: 37 mm.
- Thickness: 2 mm.
- Edge: Inscription VIRIBVS VNITIS (Lat. – «By united efforts»).
- Obverse: There’s a portrait of Franz Joseph I in the center. There’s a text around it: «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*ET AP*REX HVNG».The very edge of both sides of the coin is decorated with dotted border.
- Reverse: There’s a two headed eagle with a crown in the center. The body of the eagle is flaunted with the empire coat of arms, and it holds symbols of power – the sword, scepter and orb in its clutches. The inscription at the top says «C CORONA MDCCCCXII». There`s a year of minting and a face value “100 COR.” below it. The edge of the coin is decorated with a dotted border.
Which mint was minting and what types of coins were in circulation
All denominations of Austrian coronas were minted in the Vienna Mint, which was later renamed the Austrian Mint and became the only one in the country. In the period from 1892 to 1918 the following denominations of coins were issued:
- silver: 1, 2 and 5 coronas;
- gold: 10, 20 and 100 coronas.
The Austrian mint still produces the mintage of the restrikes of gold coronas of 10 corona denomination (indicated by 1912), 20 coronas (1915) and 100 coronas (1915), which are exclusively investment or collectible.
The cost of coins on the market
The cost of silver and gold coronas of Austria of this period will depend first of all on the year of minting and the condition of the coin. Secondarily, on the cost of an ounce of silver and gold on world exchanges. We give you an approximate cost of coronas of each denomination at auctions:
| Denomination | Price in euros |
| 1 corona | 2,23-15,00 |
| 2 coronas | 14,00-15,00 |
| 5 coronas | 29,00-47,00 |
| 10 coronas | 102,00-174,00 |
| 20 coronas | 270,00-445,00 |
| 100 coronas | 1128,07-1700,00 |
Interesting facts
- Quotation from famous novel of Hašek, “The Good Soldier Švejk”: «– What a thing your brigadier general did, – said the little officer, laughing hard. – But we all had to give you this nonsense,because there was no order from the division to deliver the telegrams to addressees. Yesterday the fourteenth march battalion of the seventy-fifth regiment was here, and battalion chief received a telegram: to give everybody in the team 6 coronas as a special reward for Peremyshl. Also, there was a command: every soldier has to give two out of this six coronas for war loan … ».
- It is worth noting that 20 Austro-Hungarian coronas (1892-1914) were considered a significant amount of money during their circulation, because a city dweller could rent a room for a month on them, and a peasant could buy a goat.