Austria 1876 8 florins
This specimen was lot 2074 in SINCONA Auction 97 (Zürich, May 2025), where it sold for 475 CHF (about US$689 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"RDR / ÖSTERREICH, Franz Joseph I. 1848-1916. 20 Francs (8 Florin) 1876, Wien. Vorzüglich. (empire of Austria, Francis Joseph I, 1848-1916, twenty francs or eight florins of 1876, Vienna mint. Extremely Fine.)"
In an attempt to stabilize her currency, Austria minted gold kronen (a Prussian denomination) 1858-65 and then this eight florins 1870-92, which matched the French twenty francs. Hungary, granted the right to mint her own coinage after 1867, also issued this denomination (KM 455.1). However, the ducat remained the most produced gold coin in Austria until the collapse of the regime in World War One.
Recorded mintage: 146,320, a common date.
Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, lettered edge, this specimen 6.43 g.
Catalog reference: KM 2269, Herinek 235, Fr-502.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- 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.
- [1]Richter, Jurg, SINCONA Auction 97: World and Swiss Coins and Medals, SINCONA Bullion Auction, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2025.
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