Austria Vienna Philharmonic

1) Recognition - Name - Country of Origin
The Vienna Philharmonic, issued by the Austrian Mint in our neighboring country since 1989, is currently the most widely minted gold coin in Europe and ranks among the best-selling gold investment coins worldwide. The bullion coin takes its name and motif from one of the world's leading and most renowned classical orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic, founded in Vienna in 1842 and honored with multiple awards.

2) Description of the Coin
The obverse side of the coin remains consistent across all mintings and features five string instruments, likely four violins and/or violas, along with a cello. Behind them, a horn, bassoon, and harp are visible. The inscription "Wiener Philharmoniker" (Vienna Philharmonic) surrounds the instruments on the upper half of the coin. In the center and below the inscription, the material of the coin (SILBER or GOLD) is indicated. The reverse side of the Vienna Philharmonic coin depicts the organ from the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein. The inscription "Republik Österreich" (Republic of Austria) encircles the organ on the upper half of the coin. The lower part of the coin displays the weight in ounces, the precious metal content, the face value, and the year of minting. The motif of the Vienna Philharmonic has remained unchanged over the years. Unlike the silver version, the edge of the gold Vienna Philharmonic coin is reeded.

3) Face Value - Legal Tender - Value
The Vienna Philharmonic is legal tender in Austria and has a face value of 100 EUR as a 1-ounce coin. The face value was adjusted from the original 2000 Austrian Schillings in the year 2002. The bullion coin's material value is typically significantly higher than its face value.

4) Other Units - Denominations
Other denominations, meaning fractional sizes smaller or larger than 1 ounce, have been minted since 1989 as follows:

5) Special Features - Minting Years - History - Mintage
    The Vienna Philharmonic stands out due to its varying mintage numbers. For instance, in 2008, 715,800 pieces of the 1-ounce version were minted, while the previous year saw "only" 108,675 pieces.

Of particular interest to collectors and bargain hunters is the final Schilling edition from 2001. With a mintage of just 54,700 pieces, it holds the record for the lowest mintage in the history of the Vienna Philharmonic. Furthermore, it is assumed that many coins from the 2001 vintage were melted down after the euro conversion. This is because officially, no coins with Schilling denominations could be sold after January 1, 2002.

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Vienna Philharmonic in 2004, a special edition of 1000 ounces with a face value of 100,000 EUR was minted in a limited edition of only 15 pieces.

For the 20th anniversary in 2009, another special edition of 20 ounces with a face value of 2,000 EUR and a mintage of 6,027 pieces was issued in a high-quality wooden box with a certificate.