Austria 1860-A florin

Sincona sale 43, lot 2747

This specimen was lot 2747 in Sincona sale 43 (Zürich, October 2017), where it sold for 25 CHF (about US$30 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"Franz Joseph I. 1848-1916 Gulden 1860 A. Wien. Vorzüglich-FDC. (empire of Austria, Francis Joseph I, 1848-1916, gulden of 1860, Vienna mint. Extremely fine-uncirculated.)"

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 1857-65 at Vienna (A, shown here), Kremnitz (B), Venice (V), Milan (M) and Karlsburg (E); this is a common date.

Recorded mintage: 21,628,438.

Specification: 12.34 g, 0.900 fine silver, 29 mm diameter, this specimen 12.28 g.

Catalog reference: KM 2219, Herinek 28, Veselý 64, Jaeckel 328.

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, Zurich: Sincona AG, 2017.

Link to:

• 1859-A florin
• 1860-E kreuzer
• 1860-A ½ krone
• 1860-A quadruple ducat
• 1861-A thaler
• 1861-A florin
• 1865-A quarter florin
• 1866-A double florin
• 1865-B ducat
• Coins and currency dated 1860
• return to coins of Austria