Austria 1866-V florin

Sincona sale 43, lot 2756

This specimen was lot 2756 in Sincona sale 43 (Zürich, October 2017), where it sold for 650 CHF (about US$776 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"Franz Joseph I. 1848-1916 Gulden 1866 V. Venedig. Selten. Gutes sehr schön. (empire of Austria, Francis Joseph I, 1848-1916, gulden of 1866, Venice mint. Rare, Good very fine.)"

The florin, about the size of a half dollar, was introduced in Austria in 1857 in a feeble attempt to decimalize the currency. It was accompanied by a quarter florin and a double florin 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 type was struck 1866 only at Vienna (A), Kremnitz (B), Venice (V, shown here) and Karlsburg (E); this is a rare date.

Recorded mintage: 176,486.

Specification: 12.34 g, 0.900 fine silver, 29 mm diameter, this specimen 12.32 g.

Catalog reference: KM 2220, Herinek 29, Veselý 65, Jaeckel 335.

Source:

• 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, Jürg, Auction 43: Gold and Silver Coins and Medals, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2017.

Link to:

• 1865-A quarter florin
• 1865-A florin
• 1865-V florin
• 1866-A ¼ florin
• 1866-A florin
• 1866-B florin
• 1866-B thaler
• 1866-A double florin
• 1866-A ducat
• 1866-B ducat
• 1866-E ducat
• 1866-A halb krone
• 1867-A thaler
• 1867-A double thaler
• 1867 ducat
• 1867-A 5 kreuzer
• 1867-E florin
• Coins and currency dated 1866
• return to coins of Austria