Silver commemorative coins of Austria can be divided into three periods. There were coronas, then shillings and today euros in circulation. Coronas and shillings dedicated to commemorative dates, events, places or personalities, are valuable to collectors. As for the commemorative silver euros, they can be paid by in Austria only. These coins are investment once, and they are attractive to collectors as rare coins issued in small circulation.
Сommemorative silver coronas
60 years of the reign of Franz Joseph I
1 corona denomination
- Year of minting: 1908
- Metal: silver / copper (835 / 165)
- Edge: «VIRIBIS VNITIS» («By united efforts»)
- Obverse: portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center; inscription «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*FT AP*REX HVNG*» around it; dotted line decoration.
- Reverse: crown in the rays of the sun in the upper part; period of the 60-year reign of Franz Joseph I “1848” and “1908” on both sides of it; initials of the king «FI1» under the crown on the foreground of the laurel branch; inscription «DVODECIM LVSTRIS GLOPIOSE PERACTIS» around it; denomination of the coin «1 COR.» at the very bottom; dotted line decoration.
Austrian 1 Corona 1908 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
5 corona denomination
- Year of minting: 1908
- Metal: silver / copper (900 / 100)
- Edge: «VIRIBIS VNITIS» («By united efforts»)
- Obverse: portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I in the center; inscription «FRANC*IOS*I*D*G*IMP*AVSTR*REX BOH*GAL*ILL*ETC*FT AP*REX HVNG*» around it; dotted line decoration.
- Reverse: running woman with a laurel branch in her hand in the center of the coin; denomination “5 COR.” with a crown; two-headed eagle with all royal regalia: the crown, sword, scepter, orb and the coat of arms; inscription «DVODECIM LVSTRIS 1848 1908 GLOPIOSE PERACTIS»; dotted line decoration.
Austrian 5 Corona 1908 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
Commemorative silver shillings
100th anniversary of Franz Schubert’s death
- Denomination: 2 shillings
- Year of minting: 1928
- Metal: silver (640)
- Edge: reeded
- Obverse: portrait of Franz Schubert in the center; year of minting «1928» at the bottom.
- Reverse: denomination “2 SHILLING” in the center; 10 heraldic coats of arms around it; inscription “REPUBLIK” at the top and “ÖESTERREICH” at the bottom.
Austrian 2 Shillings1928 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
200th anniversary of Eugene of Savoy
- Denomination: 2 shillings
- Year of minting: 1936
- Metal: silver (640)
- Edge: reeded
- Obverse: portrait of Eugene of Savoy in the center; inscription «PRINZ EUGEN VON SAVOYEN 1663-1736*1936» around it.
- Reverse: two-headed eagle with a shield in the center; denomination «2 S» and year of minting «1936» at the bottom; inscription “ÖESTERREICH” at the top.
Austrian 2 Shillings1936 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
200th anniversary of Mozart’s birth
- Denomination: 25 shilling
- Year of minting: 1956
- Metal: silver (800)
- Edge: «FÜNFUNDZWANZIG SCHILLING»
- Obverse: figure of Mozart in full height in the center; inscription «WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART» at the top; «1756-1956» at the bottom.
- Reverse: denomination «25» surrounded by dotted line in the center; 9 heraldic coats of arms above it; two crossed laurel twigs and inscription «SHILLING» at the bottom; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH».
Austrian 25 Shillings1956 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
800th anniversary of Mariazell Basilica
- Denomination: 25 shilling
- Year of minting: 1957
- Metal: silver (800)
- Edge: «FÜNFUNDZWANZIG SCHILLING»
- Obverse: Mariazell Basilica in the center; inscription «MARIAZELL» and «1157-1957» at the bottom.
- Reverse: denomination «25» surrounded by dotted line in the center; 9 heraldic coats of arms above it; two crossed laurel twigs and inscription «SHILLING» at the bottom; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH».
Austrian 25 Shillings1956 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
130th anniversary of Ferdinand Raimund’s death
- Denomination: 25 shilling
- Year of minting: 1966
- Metal: silver (800)
- Edge: «FÜNFUNDZWANZIG SCHILLING»
- Obverse: image of Ferdinand Raymund with arms crossed in the center; inscription «FERDINAND RAIMUND» above it; year of minting «1966» at the bottom.
- Reverse: denomination «25 SHILLING»; 10 heraldic coats of arms around it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH».
Austrian 25 Shillings1966 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
50 years of broadcasting
- Denomination: 50 shillings
- Year of minting: 1974
- Metal: silver (640)
- Edge: «FÜNFUNDZWANZIG SCHILLING»
- Obverse: combination of two ellipses in the center; inscription «1924-1974» above it; «JAHRE ÖSTERREICHISCHER RUNDFUNK» at the bottom.
- Reverse: denomination «50 SHILLING»; 10 heraldic coats of arms around it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH».
Austrian 50 Shillings1974 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
125 years of Austrian police
- Denomination: 50 shillings
- Year of minting: 1974
- Metal: silver (640)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: coat of arms with an eagle in the center; a line around it; wreath of oak branches and two vessels with a flame bursting out of them; inscription «1849-1974» above it; «GENDARMERIE IN*O*STERREICH» at the bottom.
- Reverse: denomination «50 SHILLING»;10 heraldic coats of arms around it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH».
150th anniversary of Johann Strauss’s birth
- Denomination: 100 shillings
- Year of minting: 1975
- Metal: silver (640)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: Johann Strauss with a violin on the pedestal in the center; arch on the background; inscription «1825 JOHANN STRAUSS 1899» above it; year of minting «1975» at the bottom.
- Reverse: denomination «100 SHILLING»;10 heraldic coats of arms around it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» on the edge.
Austrian 100 Shillings1975 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
175th anniversary of Johann Nestroy’s birth
- Denomination: 100 shillings
- Year of minting: 1976
- Metal: silver (640)
- Edge: «HUNDERT SCHILLING»
- Obverse: Johann Nestroy in the center; year of minting «1976» and «JOHANN NESTROY 1801-1862» above him.
- Reverse: eagle with a coat of arms, a sickle and a hammer in his chained paws in the center; «100 SHILLING» around it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖESTERREICH».
Austrian 100 Shillings 1976 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
Commemorative silver euros
Wienner Philharmoniker
- Denomination : 1.5 euro
- Year of minting: 2013-2018
- Metal: silver (999)
- Edge: reeded
- Obverse: instruments of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in the center; inscription «WIENER PHILHARMONIKER».
- Reverse: big pipe organ from the Golden Hall of the Vienna Philharmonic in the center; weight, year of minting and denomination at the bottom; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» at the top of the coin.
5 euro denominations silver coins series
EU Enlargement
- Denomination : 5 euro
- Year of minting: 2004
- Metal: silver (800)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: map of European countries; inscription «EU-ERWEITERUNG 2004» on the top left; «CHESKA REPUBLIKA EESTI*KIPROS*LATVIA LIETUVA*MAGYARORSZAG*MALTA*POLSKA*SLOVENIA SLOVENSKA REPUBLIKA» with 11 stars at the bottom.
- Reverse: denomination «5» in the center; 9 coats of arms in the enneagon around it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH*EURO».
Austrian 5 Euro 2004 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
Peace and freedom
European anthem
- Denomination : 5 euro
- Year of minting: 2005 euro
- Metal: silver (800)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: portrait of Beethoven in an oval vignette in the center on the foreground of the building and musical staff; inscription «BEETHOVEN WIEN 1824» above it; «EUROPAHYMNE» slightly below; year of minting «2005» at the bottom.
- Reverse: denomination «5» in the center; 9 coats of arms in the enneagon around it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH*EURO».
Austrian 5 Euro 2005 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
Outstanding European personalities
250th anniversary of Wolfgang Mozart’s birth
- Denomination: 5 euro
- Year of minting: 2006
- Metal: silver / copper (800 / 200)
- Edge: plain.
- Obverse: portrait of Mozart with his signature on the foreground of the building in the center; year of minting «2006» below it; inscription «1791 1756 WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART» at the top.
- Reverse: denomination «5» in the center; 9 coats of arms in the enneagon around it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH*EURO».
Austrian 5 Euro 2006 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
European achievements
100 Years of Universal Male Suffrage
- Denomination: 5 euro
- Year of minting: 2007
- Metal: silver (800)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: portraits of King Franz Josef I and Chancellor Max von Beck and their names “KAISER FRANZ JOSEPH I. * FREIHERR VON BECK”; image of the parliamentary session opening in 1907 on the background; inscription “100 JAHRE WAHLRECHTSREFORM” at the top; “1907 2007” on the left.
- Reverse: denomination «5» in the center; 9 coats of arms in the enneagon around it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH*EURO».
Austrian 5 Euro 2007 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
Cultural heritage
100th anniversary of Herbert von Karajan’s birth
- Denomination: 5 euro
- Year of minting: 2008
- Metal: silver (800)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: portrait of Herbert von Karajan with a conductor’s baton in his hand and notes on the background; engraving «1908-1989» on his shoulder; year of minting «2008» and inscription «HERBERT VON KARAJAN» at the top.
- Reverse: denomination «5» in the center; 9 coats of arms in the enneagon around it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH*EURO».
European heritage
200th anniversary of Joseph Haydn’s death
- Denomination: 5 euro
- Year of minting: 2009
- Metal: silver (800)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: portrait of Joseph Haydn on the foreground of notes and two violins; inscription «JOSEPH HAYDN 1732 1809» above it; year of minting «2009» at the bottom.
- Reverse: denomination «5» in the center; 9 coats of arms in the enneagon around it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH*EURO».
10 euro denomination silver coin series
Austria and her people. Castles of Austria
Ambros Castle
- Denomination: 10 euro
- Year of minting: 2002
- Metal: silver (925)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of three musicians dancing in the “Spanish Hall”
- Reverse: image of the facade of the Ambros castle is in the center; denomination «10 EURO» and year of minting «2002» below it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH*EURO».
Eggenberg Palace
- Denomination: 10 euro
- Year of minting: 2002
- Metal: silver (925)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of Johann Kepler; inscription “JOHANNES KEPLER 1571-1630” above it.
- Reverse: facade of the palace of Eggenberg in the center; inscriptions «SCHLOSS EGGENBERG» above it and «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» under it; denomination «10 EURO» and year of minting «2002» at the bottom.
The Castle of Schloss Hof
- Denomination: 10 euro
- Year of minting: 2003
- Metal: silver (925)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of two gardeners (man and woman) at work.
- Reverse: facade of Schloss Hof Castle; inscription «SCHLOSSHOF», denomination «10 EURO» and year of minting «2003» below it; «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» above it.
The opening of the Burgtheater and the Vienna State Opera in 1955
- Denomination: 10 euro
- Year of minting: 2005
- Metal: silver (925)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of masks of tragedy and comedy; inscription «WIEDEREROFFNUNG VON BURG UND OPER 1955» around them.
- Reverse: image of the buildings of the National Theatre and the Opera House in Vienna; denomination «10 EURO» and year of minting «2005» below it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» at the bottom.
Austria and her people. The famous abbeys of Austria
Melk Abbey
- Denomination: 10 euro
- Year of minting: 2007
- Metal: silver (925)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of the central dome of the church and the cross of the Abbey of Melk; inscription «DAS MELKER KREUZ» below it.
- Reverse: image of the facade of the church of the Abbey of Melk; inscription «STIFT MELK» above it; «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH», denomination «10 EURO» and year of minting «2005» below it.
Klosterneuburg
- Denomination: 10 euro
- Year of minting: 2008
- Metal: silver (925)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of the cloisters of the monastery; fragment of stained glass with Leopold III on the foreground.
- Reverse: image of the Gothic monastery in the Alps; inscription «STIFT KLOSTER-NEUBURG» above it; denomination«10 EURO», «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» and year of minting «2008» below it.
Myths and legends of Austria
The Basilisk in Vienna
- Denomination: 10 euro
- Year of minting: 2009
- Metal: silver (925)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of the Basilisk sitting at the bottom of a well, looking in the mirror that is held by the baker’s student; inscription «DER BASILISK» at the bottom.
- Reverse: image of the Schenlaternstreet in Vienna; «SCHONLATERN GASSE» above it, denomination «10 EURO» a little below of the inscription; «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» and year of minting «2009» at the very bottom.
Federal lands of Austria
Styria
- Denomination: 10 euro
- Year of minting: 2010
- Metal: silver (925)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of a sleeping merman; two men on the background; inscription «ENTDECKUNG DES ERZBERGES» above it.
- Reverse: image of two miners mining coal in the Erzberg deposit in the Styria; inscriptions «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» and «ERZBERG» above it; year of minting «2010» on the left; denomination «10 EURO» at the very bottom.
20 euros denomination silver series
Austria. The way through the ages
Renaissance (Ferdinand I)
- Denomination: 20 euro
- Year of minting: 2002
- Metal: silver (900)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of Emperor Ferdinand I; inscription «FERDINAND I» above it; coat of arms with a crown on the left and «1503 1564» on the right.
- Reverse: image of two guardians on the background of the “Swiss Gate”; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» on the left; denomination «20 EURO» and year of minting «2002» below.
Austria on High Seas
The ship “Archduke Ferdinand Max”
- Denomination: 20 euro
- Year of minting: 2004
- Metal: silver (900)
- Edge: plain
- Reverse: image of Rear Admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff on the bridge of the ship behind the four sailors at the helm; inscription «ADMIRAL WILHELM VON TEGETRHOFF» at the top.
- Reverse: image of the frigate “Archduke Ferdinand Max”; year of minting «2004» on the right of it; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH», denomination «20 EURO» at the bottom; inscription «PANZERFREGATTE S.M.S. ERZHERZOG FERDINAND MAX» at the top.
Austrian Railways
Railway of the future
- Denomination: 20 euro
- Year of minting: 2009
- Metal: silver (900)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of an electric locomotive; inscription «VERSCHUBLOK 1063» below it.
- Reverse: image of high-speed train “Railjet”; inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» and year of minting «2009» below it; denomination «20 EURO» above it.
Rome on the Danube
Brigantium
- Denomination: 20 euro
- Year of minting: 2012
- Metal: silver (900)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of Brigantium port; inscription «BRIGANTIUM» above it.
- Reverse: portrait of the Roman Emperor Valentinian I on the foreground of the city with the inscription «BRIGANTIUM 2012»; the image is surrounded by inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» and denomination «20 EURO».
Living prehistory
Triassic
- Denomination: 20 euro
- Year of minting: 2013
- Metal: silver (900)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of an ichthyosaur swallowing the ammonite and a nothosaur on the background of the sea depths.
- Reverse: image of ammonites; «2013 REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» and denomination «20 EURO» above it, «TRIAS» below it.
Austrian 20 Euro 2013 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
European Artists
Egon Schiele
- Denomination: 20 euro
- Year of minting: 2012
- Metal: silver (900)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of Egon Schiele’s painting “Portrait of Wally”; «EGON SCHIELE 1912» to the left of it.
- Reverse: portrait of Egon Schiele on the background of the fragment of the picture “Crouching”; denomination «20 EURO», inscription «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH», year of minting «2012» and lettering «EGON SCHIELE» in the center.
European Writers
Stefan Zweig
- Denomination: 20 euro
- Year of minting: 2012
- Metal: silver (900)
- Edge: plain
- Obverse: image of the collage inspired by the “Chess novel” by Stefan Zweig; inscription «SCHACHNOVELLE» stands vertically in the center.
- Reverse: portrait of Stefan Zweig on the background of a typewriter; denomination «20 EURO» above it; «REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH» and year of minting «2013» stands vertically to the left from it; author’s autograph at the bottom.
Austrian 20 Euro 2012 silver coins in GoldAdvert catalog.
Which mint issues
All coins, including the commemorative silver coins, were minted by the Austrian mint, which today is the only one in Austria. According to one version, the history of the mint dates back to 1194. Leopold V the Archduke of Austria received a colossal ransom for freedom from his captive Richard the Lionheart. That was 12 tons of silver. This amount of precious metal was used for the mintage of coins, which was the beginning of the founding of the famous mint.
The cost of commemorative coins on the market
The cost of commemorative silver coins, as well as any other coins made of precious metals, depends on many factors and is not fixed. It depends on:
- fineness;
- period of the issue;
- denomination;
- rareness;
- demand on the market;
- condition.
You can track the cost of silver for 1 troy ounce (31.1035 g) on the London Stock Exchange of precious metals, as well as on the exchanges of New York and Shanghai to know prices for such coins. The Austrian mint makes a small markup (up to 10%) on the cost of coins that are being issued today. The old silver coins of commemorative series (shillings and coronas) will cost mainly depending on the condition and rareness of the coin itself.
Interesting facts
- The “European Numismatic Program” was established two years after the introduction of the euro, namely in 2004. It included seven EU countries: France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Spain. The purpose of the program is to issue commemorative coins dedicated to the topic chosen for the current year, which highlights the culture, heritage or history of Europe. The Austrian Mint produces a series of such silver coins with a denomination of 5 and 20 euros.
- Austria became the first EU country to issue commemorative coins from silver in 2004.