Coins of Austria (1804-1938 )

This survey will feature coins of the Austrian Empire (1804-1867), coins of Austria as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867-1918), and coins of the Republic of Austria (1918-1938 ).

 

Coins of the Holy Roman Empire period are not yet enough to create a separate theme, so I will show everything that is here as an introduction.  Founded in 962 by ruler Otto I, the Holy Roman Empire was called upon to unite all Christian peoples. The Empire, which lasted more than 800 years, as a result of the Napoleonic Wars in 1804 ceased to exist and broke up into dozens of independent states. The last Holy Roman Emperor to resign and assume the title of Emperor of Austria was Franz II.

 

Franz II succeeded his father, the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II, who died in 1792. Almost all the time he was on the Austrian throne, Franz II fought with neighboring France. It cannot be said that these confrontations led to some positive results for Austria, and personally for Franz II, who later had to marry his daughter Maria Louise to Napoleon Bonaparte. The dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire is also the result of the confrontation between Austria and the French Empire. 

 

Coins of the reign of Franz II - Holy Roman Emperor

 

 

Coins of the reign of Franz II - Emperor of the Austrian Empire

Subjects spoke of Franz II as an overly stingy and petty personality. The emperor persecuted and brutally punished compatriots, whose opinion did not coincide with his personal one, while in dealing with people he emphasized his spiritual closeness and care for them. 

 

The eldest son of Franz II - Emperor Ferdinand I ascended the throne in 1835. Suffering from frequent seizures of epilepsy, the monarch avoided official events and spent most of his life studying his hobbies: learning foreign languages, playing the piano, gardening.

 

The complete opposite of his father, the gentle and balanced Ferdinand I did not stand the test of the Hungarian uprising of 1848 and renounced power in favor of his nephew Franz Joseph I.

 

 

In 1858 , an unusual denomination of 5/10 kreuzer was introduced (the rules for reducing fractions imply that this denomination corresponds to the ½ of the kreuzer).

 

In 1885, as well as in 1891, 5/10 cruisers came out with a "big eagle." To see the difference between the two types of coins, take a closer look at the feathers of the "power."

 

Both known versions of coins in denominations of 1 cruiser with different wing sizes at the eagle are shown below.

 

In 1860, a hitherto unreleased denomination of 4 cruisers was put into circulation

 

Emperor Franz Joseph I was at the head of Austria for 68 years. As it happens in such cases, coins with his profile repeatedly replaced each other throughout the reign.

In 1867, after repeated attempts by the Hungarian part of the population of the Austrian Empire to gain independence, the Emperor was forced to make concessions to the Hungarian nobility and conclude an agreement with them on the creation of a dual Austro-Hungarian Empire, where Hungary acted on equal terms with Austria as part of the Empire and had the maximum possible independence in such cases. Coins of Hungary as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire are described in the corresponding topic.

 

In 1892, monetary reform took place in Austria. New monetary units of 1 crown=100 hellers were introduced, replacing the previously existing 1 thaler=2 florins=120 cruisers.

 

In honor of the 60th anniversary of Franz Joseph's tenure on the throne, two commemorative coins in denominations of 1 and 5 crowns were issued.

 

Unlike his predecessors, Franz Joseph I did not go to extremes, was unassuming in everyday life, indifferent to luxury and for most of his time led the Empire, which inevitably approached the First World War and its collapse.

In 1918, after self-removal from the policy of the Austro-Hungarian monarch Charles I, the Reichsrat (parliament) proclaimed the "Republic of German Austria" as part of the German Empire. In 1919, the Treaty of Saint-Jarme banned the Austrian state from reunification with Germany, which served as the foundation of the "Republic of Austria."
 

As in Germany, hyperinflation in the postwar years can be judged by the denominations of the first issue of coins: 100, 200 and 1000 kroons. Coins were issued in 1923 and 1924. The obverse of the bronze 100 kronor coin, issued in 1923 and 1924, depicts a fragment of the coat of arms of the Republic of Austria 1919-1934 - the head of an eagle with a tower crown.
 

A coin of 200 crowns of the 1924 model shows a heraldic crutch cross.
 

 

The prehistory of this symbol appearing on the coin is as follows. Austrian Chancellor Ignaz Seipel in 1922 approved the Badge of Merit for the Republic of Austria, which had a crutch cross as the main symbol.
 

Later, when designing the coin, Ignaz Seipel suggested using the same symbol, implying a reference to one of the most honorable awards of the Republic of Austria.
Also, it should be noted that later Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dolphus in 1932 founded the ultra-right Austrofascist political party "Patriotic Front," which also used the image of a crutch cross as a symbol on its banner.
 

The 1000 kronor coin depicts a Tyrolean woman in a traditional headdress against the backdrop of the mountains.
 

In 1924-1925, a monetary reform was carried out. The exchange rate of the reform can be judged by small exchange coins - the denominations have changed while maintaining the general design of the coins 100 kroons=1 penny, 200 kroons=2 pennies, 1000 kroons=10 pennies.
 

Also in 1924-1925, new denominations were released - 1 shilling and ½ shilling. Both coins were made on silver blanks of different samples. The ½-shilling coin depicts the coat of arms of Cisleitania .
 
Cisleitania - the lands of the Austrian crown as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The lands of the Hungarian crown were called Translatania.
 

The 1 shilling coin depicts the Austrian parliament.
 

1 shilling the following year, 1925, instead of 800 samples weighing 7 grams, while maintaining the general design, 640 samples weighing 6 grams were already produced on blanks.
 

A little later, in 1931, a new denomination was introduced - a coin of 5 pennies with an obverse of 2 pennies, but in a different metal.
 

In 1934, the two-headed eagle returned from the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire.
 

In 1934, silver in minting coins in ½ and 1 shilling was refused, it was replaced by copper-nickel with a change in face value (½ shillings=50 pennies), but at the same time silver 5 shillings appeared, issued from 1934 to 1936 in silver 835 samples.  

 

Between 1928 and 1937, the Republic of Austria annually issued commemorative and anniversary coins in denominations of 2 shillings of 640 silver, dedicated to various Austrian personalities and memorable dates.

Commemorative coin issued on the 100th anniversary of the death of composer Franz Schubert. 
 

A commemorative coin was issued in honor of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Theodor Billroth, an outstanding Austrian surgeon.

The commemorative coin is dedicated to the German poet and composer Waller von der Vogelweide (1160-1228).
 

The coin is dedicated to the 175th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a Salzburg-born composer and musician.

 

The commemorative coin is dedicated to the 200th anniversary of another Austrian composer Joseph Haydn.

A commemorative coin was issued in connection with the death in 1832 of the Austrian Chancellor Ignaz Seipel (I mentioned it a little higher in the text).

The coin was issued in connection with the murder of Austrian Federal Chancellor Engelbert Dolphus, who held this post from 1932 to 1934.

 

The coin was issued on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the death of the burgomaster of Vienna (1897-1910) Karl Luger, the leader of the Christian Social Party of Austria.

A commemorative coin was issued in connection with the 200th anniversary of the death of the Generalissimo of the Holy Roman Empire Eugene of Savoy.

 

The coin is dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the completion of the church of St. Karl Borromeo (Karlskirche) in Vienna. Architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach.

In 1938, Austria joined the Third Reich (Anschluss) and German stamps became a common means of payment for both states. The following Austrian coins were issued only in the post-war period.