Austria Kronen Corona

1) Recognition - Name - Country of Origin
The Gold Crown, part of the Austro-Hungarian gold currency, was minted from the early 1950s until the year 1914. These gold crowns succeeded the Gulden and became the predominant trade gold coins of historical significance. They are among the most popular gold investment coins, known for their high purity with a fineness of 900/1000.

2) Description of the Coin
The obverse side of the Gold Crown features a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I facing right. Below the neck, the artist's name "ST: SCHWARTZ" is engraved. The inscription reads "FRANC IOS I D G IMP AVSTR REX BOH GAL ILL ETC ET AP REX HVNG" (Franz Joseph I, by the grace of God Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, Galicia, Illyria, and apostolic King of Hungary). The reverse side displays the imperial coat of arms with the double-headed eagle holding a sword and an orb in its claws. The denomination is shown in Latin as "X" (10), "XX" (20), and "C" (100) "CORONALE," along with the Latin year of mintage such as "MDCCCCXII" (1912) and "MDCCCCXV" (1915) above the design. The denomination and year are also displayed in Arabic numerals at the bottom. The currency unit is represented as "COR." The design remained consistent throughout the entire minting period. The edge of the coin is smooth and bears the inscription "VIRIBVS VNITIS" (Viribus Unitis), which was Emperor Franz Joseph I's motto, meaning "with united forces."

3) Face Value - Legal Tender - Value
These gold investment coins are historical collectible pieces and are no longer recognized as official currency. They served as legal tender until 1924 and were subsequently replaced by the Schilling following the hyperinflation of that time.

4) Other Units - Denominations
No other denominations or units of these gold coins exist, as indicated in the table below.

Restrikes were made for 10 Kronen (year 1912) until 1992, 20 Kronen (year 1915) until 1989, and 100 Kronen (year 1915) until 1988.

5) Special Features - Minting Years - History - Mintage
The Crown succeeded the Gulden as the official currency in Austria after the first currency reform. Emperor Franz Joseph I ordered the currency conversion, which was officially carried out in 1892 in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Kronen were not only legal tender but also became the most important trade gold coins of the time, alongside the Ducats. The 10 and 20 Kronen gold coins were first minted in 1892, and in 1908, a 100 Kronen gold coin was issued to commemorate the imperial jubilee. Emperor Franz Joseph I passed away in 1916. Due to World War I and the subsequent economic crisis, the Schilling replaced these coins. The Kronen were restriked until 1992, after which they were discontinued. One reason for this was the declining mintage numbers in the later years. For instance, in 1974, two million pieces of the 100 Kronen gold coin were minted, but by 1983, the number dropped to just five pieces. Similarly, the mintage of the 10 and 20 Kronen gold coins drastically decreased in the final years, with only 102 pieces of the 10 Kronen gold coin minted in 1984.