Austria 1863-A 2 florins Dav-22
This specimen was lot 2946 in Sincona sale 77 (Zürich, May 2022), where it sold for 500 CHF (about US$607 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE - AUSTRIA. Franz Joseph I. 1848-1916. 2 Gulden 1863 A, Wien. Gutes vorzüglich. Feine Patina. (empire of Austria, Francis Joseph I, 1848-1916, double gulden of 1863, Vienna mint. Good extremely fine, Nicely toned.)"
The florin, about the size of a half dollar, was introduced in Austria in 1857 in a halfhearted attempt to decimalize the currency. It was accompanied by a quarter florin and a double florin (shown here) and the half thaler was dropped. The mélange of billon small change was reorganized into twenty, ten, five, one and 5/10 kreuzer. This system obtained, tho the thaler and ducat continued, until another reform introduced the corona in 1892. This double florin was struck 1859-65 at Vienna (shown here), Kremnitz and Venice.
Recorded mintage: 24,316, a common date.
Specification: 24.69 g, 0.900 fine silver, 36 mm diameter, this specimen 24.69 g.
Catalog reference: KM 2230, Herinek 34, Veselý 57, Dav-22.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- Herinek, Gerhard, Austria Münzkatalog: Munzen ab 1745 und Banknoten ab 1759, 49. Auflage, Vienna: Christine Steyrer Verlag, 2022.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Veselý, Roman, Mince a medaile, 19. století, František II ab Karel I, Prague: Aurea Numismatika, 2020.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 77, World Coins and Medals, Bullion Auction, Coins and Medals of Switzerland, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2022.
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