Coin of the Month: The Austrian Silver Philharmonic

If you’re a coin collector and a music lover, then you definitely want to add the Austrian Silver Philharmonic to your coin collection.

Austria is a small country located in the middle of Europe. While it’s small, it’s world famous, especially for its music. It’s been home to composers like Mozart and Strauss.   Its philharmonic orchestra is considered the best orchestra in the world. It’s had a lot of practice– it’s been playing music since 1842!

About the Silver Philharmonic

The one ounce silver coin produced by the Austrian Mint and is equal to 1.5 Euros, the currency that all countries in the European Union use. Even though the coin is technically a Euro, you can only use this coin as currency in Austria.

The Austrian Philharmonic also comes in a gold piece. Austria began issuing the gold Philharmonic in 1989, and it became one of the most popular coins in the world. Austria didn’t issue the silver edition until 2008, so it is a pretty new coin. Its design differs from the gold coin only in the edges: while the gold coin is reeded, the silver coin has smooth edges.

  • Front Side (Obverse) Design: On the front, the coin shows the pipe organ that belongs to the Vienna Musikverein’s Golden Hall. The coin is inscribed with the words REPUBLIK OSTENRREICH, which means the “Republic of Austria” in German, the official language of Austria. Below, the coin reads 1 UNZE FEINSILBER, which means “one oz pure silver”.
  • Rear Side (Reverse) Design: The reverse side of the Philharmonic has many of the instruments that are found in the Austrian orchestra, including four violins and a cello, a bassoon, a harp, and a Vienna horn. The back reads “WIENER PHILHARMONIKER, ” which means Vienna Philharmonic.

The coin design stays the same every year; only the date of issue is different. The coin has smooth edges.

Why You Should Have An Austrian Silver Philharmonic

Besides the fun musical design of the coin, having an Austrian Philharmonic expands your coin collection beyond American coins and opens your collection to the world of coins that come imprinted with different languages and designs.  The Philharmonic is one of the most popular coins in Europe and beyond.

Investors think that silver bullion coins like the Philharmonic are also stable investments for both collectors and investors.