Austria 1883 8 florins
This specimen was lot 3723 in Sincona sale 43 (Zurich, October 2017), where it sold for 275 CHF (about US$328 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE - AUSTRIA, Franz Joseph I. 1848-1916 8 Florin-20 Francs 1883. Wien. Fast vorzüglich. (empire of Austria, Francis Joseph I, 1848-1916, eight florins or twenty francs of 1883, Vienna mint. About 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: 30,814.
Specification: 6.45 g, .900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter; this specimen is 6.44 g.
Catalog reference: Herinek 19, Veselý 55, Schl. 600. Fr-502, KM 2269.
- Herinek, Gerhard, Austria Münzkatalog: Munzen ab 1745 und Banknoten ab 1759, 49. Auflage, Vienna: Christine Steyrer Verlag, 2022.
- Veselý, Roman, Mince a medaile, 19. století, František II ab Karel I, Prague: Aurea Numismatika, 2020.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, Sincona sale 43, Gold and Silver Coins and Medals, Zurich: Sincona AG, 2017.
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