Austrian Philharmonics
The Austrian Philharmonics are some of the most popular gold coins worldwide. In 1992 and 1995, the World Gold Council announced that they were the best selling coins in the world. Due to their popularity, the Austrian Philharmonics are in high demand among collectors. Moreover, they are the first gold coins to be issued in the Euro currency. Some coins are available on the secondary market, but large quantities are usually found on the primary market.The 24 karat coins were first minted in 1194 and have a history of more than 800 years. At present, they are struck by the Austrian Mint and contain 99.99 percent of pure gold. The superb design of the coin series represents the famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The obverse side features the grand organ at the Musikverein Concert Hall. This side also displays the year of issue, the weight, the purity, and the face value of the Philharmonics. The content and the purity of the coins are guaranteed by the Central Bank of Austria.
The reverse side presents a diverse array of musical instruments: a cello, a bassoon, a harp, a Vienna horn, and four violins. This bouquet of instruments is in accord with the theme of the Austrian Philharmonics. The coin is designed by Thomas Pesendorfer and comes in four different sizes between 370 and 16 mm in diameter. The largest coin has a face value of €100.000, the medium-to-large coin is valued at €100, and the medium-to-small coin has a face value of €50. The smaller Austrian Philharmonics are valued at €25 and €10, respectively. In 2008, the Austrian Mint issued a series of silver coins containing 99.99 percent of pure silver. Their design is identical to the conception of the gold coins. The face value of the silver Philharmonics is €1.50.
