Austrian Philharmonics



The Austrian Philharmonics is an Austrian gold coin and the first one to be denominated in EURO. It is a .9999 pure gold coin, which has been a popular choice among investors in Europe and among the most attractive gold bullion coins on the gold coin market. The quartet of coins is minted in 4 different sizes, with artful engravings created during the minting process. The coin is minted in one tenth, quarter ounce, half ounce, and one ounce sizes. The face values are 10, 25, 50, and 100 EURO respectively. Before the EURO was adopted as the official currency, mintages were denominated in Austrian shillings. The reverse side of the coin depicts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring a bouquet of musical instruments. The medley of musical instruments is represented by a harp, a bassoon, a Viennese horn, a string base, violins, and cellos. The central theme of the obverse side is the Golden Hall’s great organ, with the hall being the home to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The fineness, weight, year of issue, and face value are shown on this side.

The Austrian Mint produced a Philharmonic of 1000 ounces in 2004, marking its 15th anniversary. With a face value of 100,000 EURO, this popular coin sold fifteen times within two weeks. Its relief was created by computer, but the finishing touches were made by hand. It took some 130 hours to produce each coin. Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, the anniversary coin cannot be taken for pocket change. It is the largest gold coin in the world.

Although the coin has been intended as an investment product, most often it ends in the hands of private collectors. The World Council has actually announced that the Austrian Philharmonic was the best selling coin globally in 1992, 1995, and 1996. The coin is also produced in silver since February, 2008. The coin’s design is identical to that of the golden variety, but the face value is 1.50 EURO. The annual mintage of the silver investment coin depends on demand.

The Austrian Philharmonics are also traded in the secondary market, carrying similar premiums to those of the Krugerrands. The Philharmonic coins are traded at lower premiums in the secondary market compared to new Philharmonics. However, the Austrian Philharmonics trade only occasionally in the secondary market, with large orders being filled by the primary market. The prices of new Philharmonics are comparable to those of the new Gold Eagles.

The one ounce coin has a larger diameter than other gold bullion coins. The diameter of Krugerrands and Gold Eagles is 32.7 mm, compared to 37 mm for gold Philharmonics. Their thickness is 2 mm, while Krugerrands and Gold Eagles have a thickness of 2.83 mm. The half ounce coin has a diameter of 28 mm, the one quarter ounce – 22 mm, and the one tenth ounce – 16 mm. All coins are produced from fine gold and are considered the best pick for any occasion and buyer. The coins offer instant liquidity, perfect mint quality, and the highest quality of fine gold. The coins are compact, making it easy to store and transport them.

The coins are packaged at the Austrian Mint, 10 coins to a tube. The coins sold in the secondary market often come in the original tubes, and only some are placed in containers.



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