Austrian Gold Coins 4 Ducats 1915 Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria

Austrian Gold Coins 4 Ducats 1915 Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria, King of Bohemia and Apostolic King of Hungary

Restrikes - The first thing to note about the Austrian 4 Ducat coin of 1915, is that it was not minted in 1915!

Obverse: Laureated head of Francis Joseph I facing right
Legend around: FRANC·IOS·I·D·G·AVSTRIAE IMPERATOR. Translation: Francis Joseph I by Grace of God Austrian Emperor.

Reverse: Imperial-Royal coat of arms of the Austrian Empire from 1804: the double-headed eagle with marshaled arms of Habsburg, Babenberg and Lorraine displayed on the Escutcheon, Order of the Golden Fleece and Imperial Crown. Legend around (starts 1h) for "Hungariae Bohemiae Galiciae Lodomeriae Illyriae Rex Archidux Austriae" - (Hungary, Bohemia, Lombardy, Venice, Dalmatia, Galicia, Lodomeria, Illyria, and Archduke of Austria).
Lettering: HVNGAR·BOHEM·GAL· LOD·ILL·REX A·A·1915 ( 4 )

Face value: 4 Dukaten.
Metal: Gold (.986).
Weight: 13.9636 g.
Diameter: 40 mm.
Struck by the Austrian Mint.

The 4 Ducats gold coins are manufactured from gold of 98.60% fineness, the equivalent of 23 ¾ carats, a very good quality for a gold coin that used to be issued for circulation. These Austrian gold coins are only 0.7 mms thick, which is little compared with modern coins. This is due to the fact that they inherit the aspect of medieval gold coins. Their gold content weighs 13.76 grams or 0.4430 troy ounces of gold.

The modern restrikes
From 1920 until 1936 the First Austrian Republic minted 1 and 4 ducat coins with the old 1915 dies. At the beginning of the 1950’s the Second Republic added the golden and the corona to the range of gold restrikes, each with the date of their last official mintage. These imperial restrikes are very popular as gifts and as a means of hoarding gold. They are the traditional gold coins of Austria, and are known and traded beyond the borders of modern Austria and even in the markets of overseas continents. The coins are sold at a small premium over their actual gold value. Banks and dealers quote buy and sell prices based on the daily price of gold.

Austrian Gold Coins 8 Florins 20 Francs 1887 Emperor Franz Joseph I

Austrian Gold Coins 8 Florins 20 Francs 1887 Emperor Franz Joseph I

In addition to its historical value the Austrian 8 Florin / 20 Francs gold coin is of interest for carrying dual denomination. Bearing mintage dates between 1870 and 1892, each .900 pure coin has an actual gold content of .1867 oz.
  The dual denomination was created so the coin could be circulated domestically as 8 Florins and also recognized for pan-European trade worth 20 Francs. In certain ways the Austrian 8 Florin/20 Francs gold coin is the precursor to the present-day Euro.

The obverse bears the right side profile of Emperor Franz Joseph I, ruler of the Habsberg Empire, wearing a laurel wreath crown and heavy whiskers. Surrounding his portrait is the Latin inscription “FRANCISCVS IOSEPHVS I D G EMPERATOR ET REX” translating as "Franz Joseph by the Grace of God, Emperor and King".

The reverse shows the Austro-Hungarian imperial coat of arms framed with the inscription “IMPERIUM AUSTRIACUM” (Empire of Austria). The tail of the coat of arms separates the dual denominationa of 8 Fl. and 20 Fr., with the date appearing at the bottom. The coin's edge is lettered with Franz Joseph I's personal motto “VIRIBUS UNITIS” (With United Forces).

Years: 1870-1892.
Value: 8 Florins / 20 Francs (8).
Composition: Gold.
Fineness: 0.9000.
Weight: 6.4516 g.
AGW: 0.1867 oz.
Diameter: 21 mm.
Thickness: 1.2 mm.
Shape: Round.
Struck by the Austrian Mint.
174 000 exemplaires, KM 2269.

The currency of guilders in the 19th Century was a silver standard, although "Club crowns" from 1858 to 1865 (or 1866) were minted in gold. 1865 France, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland founded the the Latin Union, in which issues of the coins should regarding value, size, weight, etc. should be decided on. Within the Union, all coins should have been valid. Although Austria had signed a preliminary agreement with the Latin Union in 1867, it failed to achieve the required currency conditions for entry into the union. Nevertheless, as of 1870 a 8-guilder piece (= 8 Florin or 20 francs) and a 4-guilder piece (= 4 Florin or 10 Francs) were minted, which resembled the gold coins of the Latin Union. These coins were minted until 1892, the year in which the "crown currency" (English: Corona) was introduced in Austria. These so-called "trade gold coins", which have a premium on the current price of gold, as are gold bullion coins.

Austrian Gold Coins 4 Florins 10 Francs 1892 Emperor Franz Joseph I

Emperor Franz Joseph I
Franz Josef I (English: Francis Joseph) Emperor of Austria, king of Hungary, (1830-1916), born in Vienna. The last significant Habsburg monarch.
  Franz Josef was the eldest son of Archduke Franz Karl (Francis Charles), who was brother and heir of Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I. Because his father renounced his right to the throne, Franz Josef became emperor when Ferdinand abdicated near the end of the revolution of 1848.
  By the time Franz Josef stepped onto the throne, Austria's position as a European "great power" was already in serious decline. Three external factors furthered Austria's decline.

1. -- Austria's "betrayal" of Russia in the Crimean War (1853-1856) seriously damaged Austro-Russian relations. Lingering Russian ill will was a factor in the July (1914) Crisis which led to the outbreak of WWI.
2. -- The unification of Italy provided a new threat to the empire. In the decade that followed, Austria lost nearly all of its Italian possessions, such as Lombardy and Venetia.
3. -- The rise of Prussian dominance of the German Confederation, and Austria's loss of the Austro-Prussian war in 1866. German unification in 1871 made Austria the lesser of the two German powers.
Austria was weakened by these reverses. Franz Josef had little choice but to negotiate with Hungary on its demands for autonomy. Austria and Hungary agreed to create a dual monarchy in which the two countries would be equal partners. Under the empire of Austria-Hungary, as it was known after 1867, Hungary had complete independence in internal affairs, but the two countries acted jointly in foreign affairs. (This fact contributed to the slowness of A-H's response to the murder of Franz Ferdinand).
  The same year, Franz Josef and Elizabeth were formally crowned king and queen of Hungary. (Franz Josef married Elizabeth, daughter of Duke Maximilian of Bavaria, in 1854. They had one son, Rudolf, and three daughters.) As the dual monarch, Franz Josef planned to grant some form of self-government to the Austrian Slavs, but the German and Magyar elites who actually controlled the empire opposed any sharing of power. The resulting dissatisfaction among Austrian Czechs and Serbs further weakened the Habsburg realms and caused increased friction with Russia, which championed the cause of Europe's Slavic peoples.
  Franz Josef's later years were marked by a series of tragedies in his family. In 1889 his only son and heir to the throne, Archduke Rudolf, committed suicide; Franz Josef's second younger brother, Karl Ludwig, had died in 1896 from illness due to bad water he drank while on a holy lands pilgrimage; in 1898 Elizabeth was assassinated by an Italian anarchist.
  Succession to the Austrian throne was not simple. Following the suicide of Franz Josef's only son Rudolf, the next in succession would have been Franz Josef's younger brother Maximillian. Maximillian, however, had been executed by a firing squad in Mexico in 1867 after a 3 year reign as Emperor of Mexico. Karl Ludwig's oldest son, Franz Ferdinand replaced Rudolf as heir to the throne. Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo in June 1914. The assasination precipitated a crisis which led to the outbreak of World War I.
  Franz Josef died on November 21, 1916. He did not live to see Austria's defeat in the war. His grand nephew, Karl I assumed the throne for two years, but was the last Habsburg monarch.

Austrian Gold Coins 1 Ducat 1855 Emperor Franz Joseph I

Austrian Gold Coins 1 Ducat 1855 Emperor Franz Joseph I

Obverse: Laureate head of Emperor Franz Joseph I, ruler of the Habsberg Empire right. Surrounding his portrait is the Latin inscription “FRANC ∙ IOS ∙ I ∙ D ∙ G ∙ AVSTRIAE IMPERATOR ∙” translating as "Franz Joseph I by the Grace of God Emperor of Austria".

Reverse: Crowned Imperial double eagle - Imperial Coat of Arms of the Empire of Austria, used from 1815 to 1866, framed with the inscription “GAL ∙ LOD ∙ ILL ∙ REX ∙ A ∙ A ∙ 1855 HVNG ∙ BOH ∙ LOMB ∙ ET VEN ∙” (King of Galicia, Lodomeria, Illyria, Hungary, Lombardy and Venice).

Composition: Gold.
Fineness: 0.986.
Weight: 3.4909 g.
AGW: 0.1107 oz.

Emperor Franz Joseph I
Franz Joseph, also called Francis Joseph (born August 18, 1830, Schloss Schönbrunn, near Vienna, Austria — died November 21, 1916, Schloss Schönbrunn), emperor of Austria (1848–1916) and king of Hungary (1867–1916), who divided his empire into the Dual Monarchy, in which Austria and Hungary coexisted as equal partners. In 1879 he formed an alliance with Prussian-led Germany, and in 1914 his ultimatum to Serbia led Austria and Germany into World War I.

Austrian Ducat Gold Coin
The word ducat is from Medieval Latin ducatus meaning “relating to a duke (or dukedom)”, and initially meant “duke’s coin” or a “duchy’s coin”. These historical gold coins were used in trade throughout Europe from medieval times to the late 20th century.
  The first gold ducats were produced in the year 1140 and the inscriptions and pictures changed considerably through the Middle Ages. One of the most common versions seen today is the Austrian 1 Ducat Gold Coin.
  The front of the Austrian 1 Ducat Gold Coin which features the likeness of Franz Joseph I who was born in 1848, and died in 1916. The reverse depicts the House of Habsburg’s coat of arms. The Habsburgs occupied the Holy Roman Empire throne from 1438 – 1740. They produced kings of Bohemia, England, Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Ireland, Portugal, Spain Dutch and Italian countries.
  The double-headed eagle or Imperial Eagle was a symbol of the Holy Roman Empire. Above the Imperial Eagle is the Imperial Crown worn by Holy Roman Emperors from the House of Habsburg becoming the crown of Austria after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. The Imperial Eagle holds the Imperial Regalia or the crown jewels. The Imperial Eagle holds the Imperial Sword, which was used during coronations and holds the Imperial Orb, a symbol of divine right.
  Today’s modern Austrian 1 Ducat Gold Coin follows in the steps of the Austrian 100 Corona because those dated 1915 are re-struck. A re-strike is an official reissuing of a coin which is no longer in production. The Austrian 1 Ducat is made of gold which is 0.987 pure (high purity) and its melt weight in gold is 0.1122 troy.
  So this virtually pure gold coin contains a little over 1/10 of an ounce of pure gold. It is about 0.777 or slightly more than ¾ of an inch in diameter so it makes a statement. To attain this size/purity ratio the Mint makes the Austrian 1 Ducat Gold Coin thin (about 0.0314 inches) and in so doing produces one of the great pure bullion products today.
  These beauties are large for their weight and the coin’s purity is instantly recognizable as real gold. The Austrian 1 Ducat Gold Coin offers other advantages:
1 - it is minted by a sovereign government so production, purity and weight are guaranteed allowing precious metal dealers worldwide to post daily buy and sell prices.
2 - The Austrian 1 Ducat Gold Coin enjoys a worldwide audience because premiums are low and it is a recognizable bullion coin having been traded for decades. Its smaller size also makes this pure coin a excellent barter choice.
3 - The re-strike Austrian 1 Ducat Gold Coin also offers a possible government foil. Because of its date (1915) this coin was a popular way of getting around the US prohibition on gold ownership prior to 1975 in the United States. For this reason some believe that if gold were confiscated in America the Austrian 1 Ducat Gold Coin might be exempt because of its dating. Whether you buy the argument or not it is nonetheless a reason for this coin’s continued popularity.
4 - There is no reporting requirement (Federal Form 1099B) when buying or selling the Austrian 1 Ducat Gold Coin and it fluctuates directly with the daily gold market.

Transylvania 2 Ducat Gold Coin 1765 Empress Maria Theresa

Transylvania 2 Ducat Gold Coin 1765 Empress Maria Theresa

Obverse: outer pearl circle, Diademed bust of Empress Maria Theresa facing left and legend: M · THERESIA · D:G · R · IMP · GE · HU · BO · REG ·

Reverse: outer pearl circle, inside the double headed eagle holding the Crowned arms of Transylvania on its chest, value 2 and legend: TRAN · COTYR · 1765 · AR · AU · DUX · BU · ME · P

Composition: Gold.
Fineness: 0.986.
Weight: 7.0000 g.
AGW: 0.2219 oz.
Karlsburg Mint in Transylvania.

The legend starts on the obverse and ends on the reverse: M · THERESIA · D:G · R · IMP · GE · HU · BO · REG · TRAN · COTYR · 1765 · AR · AU · DUX · BU · ME · P , standing for

M[ARIA] THERESIA D[EI] G[RATIA] R[OMANORUM] IMP[ERATRIX] HU[NGARIAE] BO[HEMIAE] REG[INA]  TRAN[SYLVANIAE] CO[MES] TYR[OLIS] AR[CHIDUX] AU[STRIAE] DUX BU[RGVNDIAE] [ET] ME[DIOLANUM] P[RINCEPS]

and meaning Maria Theresa, by the grace of God empress of the Romans, queen of Hungary and Bohemia, archduchess of Austria, duchess of Burgundy and Milan, princess of Transylvania and countess of Tirol.
Medieval Transylvanian mintage knows a few main evolutionary periods: the period of the Hungarian kingdom that struck coin inside the Carpathian space (close to the gold mines, to say so), autonomous principality period (under Turkish suzerainity), Habsburg period up to Maria Theresa during which properly called Transylvanian coins kept on being struck (bearing the face of either the emperor or the empress, but also the coat of arms of the principality) and the last one that reminds of Transylvania only through mint ensigns on regular imperial coins.
The life of the autonomous Transylvanian principality under Habsburgs lasted from 1691 to 1867, when Austro-Hungarian dualism brought it to an end. The principality enjoyed a separate statute (endorsed by the Leopoldian Diploma), being direct subject of the emperor. Through the Carlowitz peace (1699) and the one of Passarowitz (1718) the Porte was compelled to acknowledge Austrian domination in Transylvania.

Austria 50 Euro Gold Coin 2014 Judith II (Salome) - Klimt and his Women series

Austria 50 Euro Gold Coin 2014 Judith II (Salome) - Klimt and his Women series

Gustav Klimt did not just paint women, he revolutionised the world’s image of them. The third coin in our incomparable Klimt and his Women series, Judith II, in which the saviour of the Israelites is portrayed as a chilling femme fatale, shows this to magnificent effect.

Painted in 1909, the life-size portrait shows a gaunt and bushy-haired Judith looking to her right as she clutches the severed head of Holoferenes, an Assyrian general who was threatening to destroy her home city of Bethulia. Klimt’s customary swirling art nouveau ornamentation features on this side of the coin as well as on its obverse, which is graced with Nuda Veritasfrom Klimt’s golden phase. Painted in 1889, the long-haired beauty holding a mirror shows artistic truth without compromise and is a perfect example of Klimt's artistic vision. This was a vision that led the painter to co-found the Vienna Secession, the artistic movement that rejected the conservatism of the early 20th-century Viennese art world.

Mint: Münze Österreich AG
quality: proof
collection: Klimt and his Women
occasion: Valentines Day
face value: 50 Euro
date of issue: 19.02.2014
coin design: Mag. Helmut Andexlinger & Herbert Wähner
diameter: 22.00 mm; alloy: Gold Au 986; fine weight: 10.00 g; total weight: 10.14 g.

Struck in Proof quality with a maximum mintage of 30,000, each coin comes in a case complete with a numbered certificate of authenticity. A superb wooden presentation case is also available for those keen to complete the entire five-coin Klimt and his Women collection.

Austria 50 Euro Gold Coin 2013 Expectation - Klimt and his Women series

Austria 50 Euro Gold Coin 2013 The Expectation - Klimt and his Women series

February 27, 2013 - The Austrian Mint has issued the second coin in its five gold coin series celebrating Gustav Klimt, a key painter of the art nouveau period whose art is easily recognized and admired around the world.

The obverse, featuring the “Tree of Life” from the Stoclet frieze, is framed by a square of the artist’s canvas, and was conceptualized by the mint’s chief engraver, Thomas Pesendorfer. The tree is made up of many fine swirls and mosaic-like pieces commonly found in the art of Klimt. To the right of the Tree of Life symbolizing The Eye of Horus, and interpreted by Klimt in the form of the falcon, a symbol of power of the Egyptian Pharos. Also on this side appears the country of issue, “Republik Oesterreich” or Republic of Austria, the face value of 50 euros, and the year of issue, 2013.

The reverse features a portion of the frieze showing the head of a woman anxiously looking to the right, which is known as “Expectation.” The scarf on her head has a very intricate pattern of geometric square-like shapes. Her hand is held in a pose found commonly in Egyptian paintings. Her wrist has a beautifully intricate armband, while more jewels and geometric shapes and swirls can be seen in her clothing. The reverse of the coin was conceived and engraved by mint engraver Herbert Waehner.

The Stoclet frieze was a special commission that Gustav Klimt received from a wealthy industrialist of Brussels, Belgium, Adolphe Stoclet. Stoclet was an avid art collector who commissioned the architect Josef Hoffman (also world famous because of his key role in the art nouveau movement of Vienna, along with Klimt.) Klimt was commissioned to create a masterpiece in the dining room. The wealth and appreciation of the art nouveau movement by Stoclet meant that no boundaries were placed on the art nor on the budget of this now world heritage site, The Stoclet House in Brussels. Hence for the artists “The Stoclet House”, (which also includes works by yet another secessionist of Vienna Koloman Moser) were able to produce the most complete work or “Gesamtwerk” of the Vienna Secessionist or Art Nouveau period.

Klimt completed two intricate paintings on the dining room walls, one of which was the well-known “Expectation” featured on this gold coin. The “Expectation” is that of the young lady, who is a dancer, anxiously looking to the right, and yearning for love. (Another part of the frieze completes the search for love depicting a young couple embracing, and therefore is known as “Fulfillment.”) Klimt stated publically that the Stoclet frieze was his ultimate decorative work.

Gustav Klimt was inspired by many cultures of history. Certainly Byzantine mosaics greatly inspired Klimt and hence appear in many of his works. As well, forms and shapes from very early times such as ancient Egypt, right up to more recent periods of his life all influenced his art during his life.

The very complex and meaningful “Tree of Life” is symbolic of our roots deep in the ground, stretching up to the sky and the heavens. The Klimt “Tree of Life” bears both flowers and fruit and thereby symbolically includes both women and men, on their own, as well as together – bearing fruit. Hence the “Expectation” symbolizes the search for love. Scholars have for many years studied the Klimt tree to try and learn all of its secrets which are so pertinent to many cultures and religions.

The gold coins of this series illustrate the importance of women in Gustav Klimt’s artistic life. The coins present his work in a manner similar to an exhibition. Each of the coins will have another letter of his name K-L-I-M-T worked into the design – so that once the series is complete his last name will become part of the signature of the 5 coin series.

2012 AdeleBloch Bauer: letter K
2013 “Expectation”: letter L
2014 “Judith II”: Letter I
2015 Hygieia from the “Faculty Paintings” of the University of Vienna: letter M
2016 “The Kiss”: letter T

The new coin is struck in 986 fine gold to a maximum mintage of 30,000 pieces in proof quality only. The diameter of the coin is 22mm and it contains 10 grams of fine gold. Each coin is packed in an attractive box with a numbered certificate of authenticity, which provides detailed background and technical information about the quality and design of the coin.

A beautiful wooden collection case for the whole series, “Klimt and his Women”, may be purchased separately. It contains a booklet explaining the whole series.

Austria 50 Euro Gold Coin Adele Bloch-Bauer 2012 Gustav Klimt and his Women series

Austria 50 Euro Gold Coin 2012 Adele Bloch-Bauer - Klimt and his Women series

January 25, 2012 - The Austrian Mint will issue today the first gold coin of a new 5 part gold coin series celebrating one of the leading luminaries of the art nouveau movement, Gustav Klimt, and his primary subject, women. The series commencing this year also marks the 150th anniversary of Klimt’s birth.

The obverse of the coin bears a portrait of Gustav Klimt based on a photograph by Moriz Naehr from about 1917/1918, framed in a square, that brings to mind the canvas of a painting. The use of the square is also to highlight one of the most common shapes repeatedly used by Gustav Klimt in his paintings. In the bottom right corner of the square is Gustav Klimt’s signature based on his signature that he used on his many paintings. To the right of the square is a spiral, much like Gustav Klimt used, to ornament the coin. Also on this side appears the country of issue, “Republik Oesterreich” or Republic of Austria, and the face value of 50 euros and year of issue, 2012. The Mint’s chief engraver, Thomas Pesendorfer, engraved the obverse.

The reverse shows a portion of the famous painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer I. The many complex mosaic-like details surround her somewhat sad but serene face. Her beautiful long neck is highlighted with the lovely elaborate choker encircling it. In the bottom left of the design field is the letter “K", the first letter of Gustav Klimt’s last name. Mint engraver Herbert Waehner completed the engraving of the reverse. Mr. Waehner found the engraving of this side both easy and difficult at the same time. “One of the key elements of painting is color, and of course this is not present in this coin. Therefore, the very detailed engraving of the miniscule differences in relief heights of the complex mosaic-like ornamentation in the plaster model was very challenging.”

Gustav Klimt was born in Austria in 1862 and very early on his artistic gift became evident. He was classically trained, and began his career by painting murals and ceilings in large public buildings. His great love and primary subject, however, was the female form.

Gustav Klimt was one of the founding members of the Vienna Secession, “Ver Sacrum”, art movement that officially existed from 1897 - 1905 – a movement funded by the government that presented young non-conventional artists. Many very well known artists were also members of this group such as Otto Wagner, Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann and Egon Schiele, to name but a few.

The last public commission completed by Gustav Klimt was for three murals for the University of Vienna, featuring Philosophy, Medicine and Jurisprudence. Done in very much his radical style of thought-provoking eroticism, these paintings, when revealed to the public, generated an outcry that was exceptionally strong. With many people having labelled them “pornographic”, these paintings were never used for their original intent in the Great Hall of the University. Sadly, they were destroyed at the end of the Second World War.

Gustav Klimt tended to work from his home, enjoying a relaxed lifestyle wearing robes and sandals, devoted to his art and life style. His life companion was Emilie Floege whom he met in 1890. Gustav Klimt’s love of the female form was not exclusive to his art but to the many relationships he enjoyed. He is known to have fathered 14 children. He died in 1918, at the age of 56, from a heart attack.

From about 1885 onward Gustav Klimt enjoyed his “Golden Phase”, reflecting his critical success and acclaim, as well as his regular use of gold leaf in his paintings. His fame brought many patrons to him and he was able to be selective about the commissions he accepted. Klimt received the Golden Order of Merit from Emperor Francis Josef I in 1888, for the murals he painted in the Palace Theatre. Gustav Klimt’s painting entitled “Philosophy” won gold at the Paris Exhibitions of 1900, and “Death and Life” received first prize at the world exhibition in Rome in 1915. Several of Gustav Klimt’s paintings have brought some of the highest prices ever paid for art in the world.

The first coin of the series features one of the paintings from this very successful period. It features a painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer. Adele’s husband, Ferdinand Bloch- Bauer, a wealthy industrialist and great supporter of Gustav Klimt, commissioned the painting. Ferdinand’s wife was the only woman Klimt painted twice. Thus, this painting is known as Adele Bloch-Bauer I. Adele married Ferdinand at a young age. The couple remained childless; sadly three pregnancies resulted in either stillbirths or the death of the child soon after birth. Adele was a strong and independent lady who was also a somewhat quiet and dark person who socialized in intellectual circles and eventually met Gustav Klimt. She was only 26 the first time that Gustav Klimt painted her. The many rumours about their relationship and whether or not it was romantic have never been confirmed or denied. Adele died at the age of 43, and her niece Maria Altmann claims she never saw her laugh but rather that she was always very serious.

The painting of Adele is less risqué than many of his others. Gustav Klimt painted the first portrait of Adele in a regal pose with a sad look and luscious red lips. The oil painting also features some of his other trade marks using a lot of gold and silver leaf and the multitude of complex painted mosaics that when viewed together become the body of Adele and her lovely flowing robe. The painting took four years to complete.

The ownership of Adele Bloch-Bauer I was for some time hotly disputed and much wrangling occurred to establish clear title to it. The sole surviving heir, Maria Altmann of Los Angeles, claimed it for many years and finally won ownership of this painting as well as four others by Klimt that were once owned by Bloch-Bauer. Once the courts awarded ownership of the paintings to her – she simply sold all of them for huge sums of money. The painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer I was bought by Ronald Lauder, owner of the Neue Galerie in New York, for a reported $135 million in 2006. This painting is a key cornerstone of the Galerie’s collection. The wish of the childless Bloch-Bauer’s that these paintings should be available to all in public galleries was sadly therefore not possible.

The other coins of the series will continue to illustrate the important women in this art nouveau artist's life. The coins will present his work in a manner similar to an exhibition. As well, each of the coins will have another letter of his name K-L-I-M-T worked into the design – so that once the series is complete his last name will become part of the signature of the 5 coin series.

The new coin is struck in 986 fine gold to a maximum mintage of 30,000 pieces in proof quality only. The diameter of the coin is 22mm and it contains 10 grams of fine gold. Each coin is packed in an attractive box with a numbered certificate of authenticity, which is six pages in length and provides detailed background and technical information about the quality and design of the coin.

A beautiful wooden collection case for the whole series, “Klimt and his Women”, may be purchased separately. It contains a booklet explaining the whole series.

The next four coins of the series are: 2013: Expectation from Stoclet Frieze; 2014: Judith II; 2015: Hygieia from the faculty painting Medicine; 2016: The Kiss.

Austria 50 Euro Gold Coin 2011 The Bicentenary of the Joanneum at Graz

Austria 50 Euro Gold Coin 2011 The Bicentenary of the Joanneum at Graz

26 January 2011, Vienna Austria – The Austrian Mint issued a gold coin celebrating the 200 th anniversary of the founding of the Joanneum Museum in Graz, in the province of Styria, Austria. The museum collection covers many centuries and many disciplines so that it is known as the “Universal Museum.”

The obverse of the coin depicts a collage of the classical façade of the main entrance to the museum, with the very modern and organic roof of the art gallery in the background. On the left side of the obverse, part of the perfectly trimmed landscape can be seen in the luscious round tree with part of a hedge at its base. Tucked into the hedge is the year of issue 2011 and below it is the word “Kunsthaus” or Art Gallery. Also on this side appear the country of issue, “Republik Oesterreich” or Republic of Austria, and the face value of 50 euros. The obverse of the coin was designed by mint engraver Herbert Waehner.

The reverse of this gold coin depicts the ornately embossed armour made by Michael Wit the Younger in Innsbruck circa 1550. To the right-hand side is part of the armoury collection, located in the “Landeszeughaus Graz” or Styrian Armoury, and is part of the Joanneum. The roof in which this part of the armoury collection is maintained has a classic coffered ceiling, as seen in the beams in the top right quadrant of the design. The reverse of the coin was designed by mint engraver Helmut Andexlinger.

The Joanneum was originally founded by the Habsburg Archduke Johann in 1811 as a public museum to pursue enlightenment for all. Initially the Joanneum was an educational institution focusing on nature and technology. Over the years a museum was established because of the continually growing donations and collections. The museum complex now includes seemingly everything, from scientific and technical materials, to modern and older arts and crafts, coins, sculpture, hunting, agriculture, cultural history and so on, spanning the centuries from Roman times to modern day.

The very modern and flowing organic building now housing the art collection was completed in 2003 to coincide with the designation of Graz as the cultural city of Europe. The building was designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fouriner of  London, who affectionately think of their design in Graz as the “Friendly Alien.” A Berlin design firm founded by brothers Jan and Tim Edler enhanced this alien look by adding a sophisticated computer-controlled lighting system called BIX that seemingly makes the whole building glow, somewhat like a “display- skin” enveloping the building. This system has become the international benchmark for the fusion of architecture, art and media. The BIX system developed by the Edler firm has now also become part of New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) recognizing its breakthrough development fusing such diverse elements into one medium of human communication.

The elaborate suit of three-quarter parade armour made by Michael Witz the Younger from Innsbruck for a nobleman as seen on the reverse of the coin is part of the Styrian Armoury which is the largest historic armoury collection in the world and today contains about 30,000 pieces of armour. The armour, made from iron with embossed scrollwork and leather straps, is from 1550. Michael Witz, the Younger was one of the most important armour makers in the middle of the 16th century.

The new coin is struck in .986 fine gold (10 g) with a maximum mintage of 50,000 pieces in proof quality only. In contrast to the previous 50 Euro gold coins from the Austrian Mint, these coins have a highly polished background and frosted relief. Each coin contains 10 grams of fine gold and has a diameter of 22 mm.

Austria 100 Euro Gold Coin 2013 The Red Deer

Austria 100 Euro Gold Coin 2013 The Red Deer, Series: Wildlife in Our Sights

Guaranteed to excite all nature lovers, Wildlife in our Sights is a sumptuous six-coin series of gold coins celebrating the diversity of Europe's native wildlife and its natural habitats. One of the continent’s largest and most iconic land mammals, the red deer features in all its splendour on the handsome first coin in the series.
Known as the “Monarch of the Glen” due to the majestic antlers of the stag, which are used during the rutting season to intimidate rivals, the Red deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of Europe‘s largest and most iconic land mammals. Minted in 2013, this coin was struck in .986 fine gold and has an agw of .5072 and was made exclusively in Proof quality with a maximum mintage of 30,000 pieces.

The natural habitat for the Red Deer is upland forests and moorland but they spend the winter in lower-lying areas and river floodplains, where food is easier to find. In some cultures, dreaming of deer symbolizes success and wealth to come. On that front, the purchase of this half ounce-gold coin would make a great start.

The coin’s obverse shows an imposing alpha male in its natural habitat roaring during the rutting period. Often triggered by the sight of rival stags, this mating call is a vocal display designed to intimidate and ward them off. If unimpressed, rival stags may lock antlers in an attempt to force one another from the field of battle in a ferocious and sometimes fatal struggle.

On the coin’s reverse, a proud stag stands guard over his family amid dense woodland containing other wildlife such as a frog and an otter. The lower part of each coin in the series is exquisitely decorated with an ornate design that gives the series its distinctive character.

Austria 100 Euro Gold Coin 2012 Imperial Crown of Austria

Austria 100 Euro Gold Coin 2012 Imperial Crown of Austria, Series: Crowns of the House of Habsburg

Originally the personal crown of Emperor Rudolph II, the Imperial Crown of Austria can now be yours. The last 100 euro gold coin in our majestic five-coin Crowns of the House of Habsburg series, it is every bit as impressive as the spectacular crown itself.
Housed today with the other Austrian Crown Jewels in Vienna’s Schatzkammer, or Imperial Treasury, the crown was made for Rudolph II in Prague in 1602 by one of the leading goldsmiths of the age, Jan Vermeyen of Antwerp. Consisting of three parts, the circlet, high arch and mitre, the crown is depicted in all its glory on the coin’s obverse between the 100 euro denomination and year of issue. The coin’s reverse shows a likeness of the crown and Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830-1916) – during whose reign the Habsburg Empire drew to a close – from a painting by Julius Viktor Berger, which hangs in Vienna’s Supreme Court of Justice.

quality: proof

collection: Crowns of the Habsburgs

face value: 100 Euro

date of issue: 14.11.2012

coin design: Thomas Pesendorfer / Mag. Helmut Andexlinger

diameter: 30.00 mm

alloy: Gold Au 986

fine weight: 16.00 g

total weight: 16.23 g

Imperial Crown of Austria

The Imperial Crown of Austria (German: Österreichische Kaiserkrone) is the crown worn by Holy Roman Emperors from the House of Habsburg from the sixteenth century to 1806, when it became the crown of the Austrian Empire upon the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. The crown was originally the personal crown of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, and is also known as the Crown of Emperor Rudolf II.

Since the Imperial Regalia of the Holy Roman Empire, including the Imperial Crown, were kept in Nuremberg and could only leave the city for a coronation, some rulers had their own personal crowns made. For example, when they attended a session of the Imperial Diet (Reichstag), they attended with their own crowns. The oldest depiction of such a private crown is an etching by the artist Albrecht Dürer of Emperor Maximilian I, where a depiction of a crown is seen that might have later influenced the appearance of the crown of Rudolf II.

The Imperial Crown of the Habsburg Empire of Austria was never used for a coronation, since, unlike the Holy Roman Empire, it was a hereditary monarchy and such an act of legitimization was not seen as necessary. The ceremony held was an act of investiture to mark the monarch's official ascension to the throne rather than a coronation.

The crown of Rudolf II was made in 1602 in Prague by Jan Vermeyen, one of the most outstanding goldsmiths of his time, who was called specially from Antwerp. The crown is made out of three parts: the circlet (Kronreif), the high arch (Kronbügel), and a mitre (Mitra).

In the earlier forms of the Western mitre the peaks or ‘horns’ were over the ears, rather than over the face and back of the head. The form of mitre used in the imperial mitral crown preserved this earlier form. This form of the imperial mitre-crown can be seen in the extant portraits of such emperors as Frederick III  and Maximilian I  The bronze effigy of Maximilian I found on his monumental cenotaph in the court church in Innsbruck has a crown with two arches which cross over the top of the mitre and the unique form of the imperial crown adopted by Maximilian as Emperor of Mexico appears to have been modeled on this form, but with the half-arches and the eagles on the circlet on the front, back and sides of the imperial crown of Napoleon III. In the later 17th century Baroque form of mitral crown of Leopold I  the peaks of the mitre have been rounded into the hemispherical form Peter the Great would adopt as the Imperial Crown of Russia when he took the title emperor as Russian sovereign.

Although it is often assumed that the Imperial Crown made for Otto I with its single arch over its inner red cap was the original prototype for the western imperial crown, it is also possible that the Byzantine imperial crown, which in the twelfth century also became closed with two arches, inspired the western emperors to follow their example and also close their crowns with such a pair of arches.

Austria 100 Euro Gold Coin 2011 The Crown of Saint Wenceslas

Austria 100 Euro Gold Coin 2011 The Crown of Saint Wenceslas, Series: Crowns of the House of Habsburg

Immortalised in the popular Christmas carol Good King Wenceslas, the Duke of Bohemia became the patron saint of the Czechs following his assassination in AD 935. The crown crafted in his honour is likewise immortalised in this expertly engraved coin by Herbert Wähner.
The fourth in our Crowns of the House of Habsburg series, the coin depicts the fantastic gold crown resting on a cushion in the depths of the cathedral of St Vitus in Prague on its obverse. The Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I, posthumously bestowed the title of ‘King’ on Wenceslas and in 1575 the crown was used to crown Rudolph II King of Bohemia. The latter can be seen on the coin’s reverse in robes typical of the Renaissance, as can three of the statues from the Charles Bridge in Prague. Rudolph moved the imperial court from Vienna to the Czech capital following the death of his father Emperor Maximilian II, making it, for a time, the intellectual and cultural capital of Central Europe. Parts of its old city are depicted in the background.

quality: proof
collection: Crowns of the Habsburgs
face value: 100 Euro
date of issue: 08.11.2011
coin design: Herbert Wähner
diameter: 30.00 mm
alloy: Gold Au 986
fine weight: 16.00 g
total weight: 16.23 g

Crown of Saint Wenceslas
Crown of Saint Wenceslas is the part of Bohemian Crown Jewels (also called Czech treasure) made in 1347. The eleventh king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV had it made for his coronation and forthwith he dedicated it to the first patron saint of the country St. Wenceslas and bequeathed it as a state crown for the coronation of future Bohemian kings, his successors to the Bohemian throne. On the orders of Charles IV the new Royal Crown was to be permanently deposited in St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle). It was used last time for the coronation of Bohemian king Ferdinand V in 1836.
The St. Wenceslas Crown is wrought of 21 to 22 carat (88 to 92%) gold and decorated with precious stones and pearls. It contains a total of 19 sapphires, 44 spinels, 1 ruby, 30 emeralds and 20 pearls.
Unlike many other European Royal treasures, the St. Wenceslas Crown is not displayed publicly, and only a replica is shown (see photo above). Along with the other Bohemian Crown jewels, it is kept in a chamber within St. Vitus Cathedral accessible by a door in the St. Wenceslas Chapel. The exact location of the chamber is not known to the general public. The entrance to the Jewels is locked by seven locks whose keys are held by the President of the Czech Republic, Chair of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament, Chair of the Senate of the Parliament, the Prime Minister, Mayor of Prague, Archbishop of Prague and the Dean of Metropolitan Capitule in Prague. The jewels are only taken from the chamber and displayed for periods of several days on notable occasions approximately once a decade. The last such occasion was in April 2008, commemorating 90th anniversary of Czechoslovak Independence.
An old Czech legend says that any usurper who places the crown on his head is doomed to die within a year, as the Crown is in personal property of St. Wenceslas and may only be worn by a rightful Bohemian king during his coronation. During World War II, Reinhard Heydrich, the Deputy Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, is said to have secretly "crowned" himself while inspecting St. Vitus' Cathedral, and was assassinated less than a year later by the Czech resistance. Although there is no evidence proving that Heydrich did so, the legend is widely believed.

Austria 100 Euro Gold Coin 2010 The Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen

Austria 100 Euro Gold Coin 2010 The Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, Series: Crowns of the House of Habsburg

A relic of mystical proportions due to the legitimacy bestowed on those crowned with it, the Crown of St Stephen takes its name from the first Christian king of Hungary. The ‘Latin Crown’, as it is also known, is the superb third coin in our Crowns of the House of Habsburg series.
Splendidly depicted on the coin’s obverse, the crown’s peculiar bent cross has been the source of much speculation over the centuries. But while this has fuelled the mythology surrounding the crown, its most probable explanation is a prosaic one, the cross being bent by the heavy lid of the case in which the crown was kept. The coin’s reverse shows the Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa on horseback following her coronation as ‘King’ of Hungary in 1741 in Pressburg, present day Bratislava. Required to ride up the Royal Hill in full coronation regalia, the King then had to swing a sword while pledging to defend the borders of the Kingdom of St Stephen, with the castle that still dominates Bratislava to this day for a backdrop.

quality: proof
collection: Crowns of the Habsburgs
face value: 100 Euro
date of issue: 10.11.2010
coin design: Thomas Pesendorfer / Mag. Helmut Andexlinger
diameter: 30.00 mm
alloy: Gold Au 986
fine weight: 16.00 g
total weight: 16.23 g

Holy Crown of Hungary
The Holy Crown of Hungary (Hungarian: Szent Korona, German: Stephanskrone, Croatian: Kruna svetoga Stjepana, Latin: Sacra Corona, Slovak: Svätoštefanská koruna), also known as the Crown of Saint Stephen, was the coronation crown used by the Kingdom of Hungary for most of its existence; kings have been crowned with it since the twelfth century. The Crown was bound to the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen, (sometimes the Sacra Corona meant the Land, the Carpathian Basin, but it also meant the coronation body, too). No king of Hungary was regarded as having been truly legitimate without being crowned with it. In the history of Hungary, more than fifty kings were crowned with it (the two kings who were not so crowned were John II Sigismund and Joseph II).
The Hungarian coronation insignia consists of the Holy Crown, the sceptre, the orb, and the mantle. The orb has the coat-of-arms of Charles I of Hungary (1310–1342); the other insignia can be linked to Saint Stephen.
It was first called the Holy Crown in 1256. During the 14th century, royal power came to be represented not simply by a crown, but by just one specific object: the Holy Crown. This also meant that the Kingdom of Hungary was a special state: they were not looking for a crown to inaugurate a king, but rather, they were looking for a king for the crown; as written by Crown Guard Péter Révay. He also depicts that "the Holy Crown is the same for the Hungarians as the Lost Ark is for the Jewish".
Since 2000, the Holy Crown has been on display in the central Domed Hall of the Hungarian Parliament Building.

Austria 100 Euro Gold Coin 2009 The Archducal Crown of Austria

Austria 100 Euro Gold Coin 2009 The Archducal Crown of Austria, Series: Crowns of the House of Habsburg

Affectionately known as the ‘Archduke’s Hat’ due to the red velvet cap in its lining, the Archducal Crown was a symbol of authority never actually used in coronations. It is a relic of exquisite beauty nonetheless, as shown by the second coin in our Crowns of the House of Habsburg series.
Emperor Rudolf IV invented the title of ‘Archduke’ in an attempt to assert the status of the House of Habsburg as the equal of any Prince Elector of the Holy Roman Empire. The Archduke’s Hat is a diadem of eight golden peaks, three of which can be seen on the coin’s obverse where the crown is shown resting on the cushion of the federal lower states of Austria. The cushion was used to carry the crown into Vienna from its home in the monastery of Klosterneuburg for the ceremony of homage paid by the Estates of Lower Austria on the accession of a new Habsburg ruler. The reverse of the coin depicts the solemn ceremonial procession, with three high-ranking officials carrying the crown, orb and sceptre from the palace to the cathedral through the streets of Vienna.

quality: proof
collection: Crowns of the Habsburgs
face value: 100 Euro
date of issue: 03.11.2009
coin design: Mag. Helmut Andexlinger
diameter: 30.00 mm
alloy: Gold Au 986
fine weight: 16.00 g
total weight: 16.23 g

The Archducal Crown of Austria - Archducal hat
The archducal hat (German: Erzherzogshut) is the insignia of the Archduchy of Austria. It is kept in Klosterneuburg Monastery in perpetuity.
The first archducal coronet (Erzherzogskrone) was shown on a portrait of Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, though this coronet probably never existed. Ernest the Iron (1377–1424) had a coronet made, and another was made on the death of Archduke Ferdinand II of the Tyrol in 1595.
The final crown of the Archduchy of Austria was made in 1616 for the regent of the Tyrol, Maximilian III. Its place of production remains unknown. It is kept at Klosterneuburg Monastery in Lower Austria. It was brought to Vienna in 1620 for the Ceremony of Homage by the Estates (the so-called Erbhuldigung) for the new ruler, and was last there in 1835.
An Archducal Hat of Tyrol was made for Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria in 1602 and is kept as a votive offering at the church of Mariastein in Tyrol. Another example was made for Joseph II in 1764 for his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor in Frankfurt, of which only the metal frame remains today.

Austria 100 Euro Gold Coin 2008 Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire

Austria 100 Euro Gold Coin 2008 Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire, Series: Crowns of the House of Habsburg

Displayed today in the treasury of the Hofburg in Vienna, the Crown of the Holy Roman Empire was once among the most coveted in Europe. The first in the Austrian Mint’s impressive five-coin Crowns of the House of Habsburg series, this handsome 100 euro gold coin is itself a treasure to be coveted.
From Henry VIII of England to Napoleon Bonaparte of France, over the centuries the dynastic destinies of some of the giants of European history were linked to the spectacularly bejewelled crown depicted in exquisite detail on the coin’s obverse. Its reverse shows an image of Otto I on the occasion of his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor at St Peter’s in Rome in 962, from when it is believed the crown dates, having most probably been made by goldsmiths in the Rhineland. Never actually a hereditary title, the Crown of the Holy Roman Empire did, however, remain in the continual possession of the Habsburgs for three and a half centuries as a result of clever diplomacy.

quality: proof
collection: Crowns of the Habsburgs
face value: 100 Euro
date of issue: 04.11.2008
coin design: Thomas Pesendorfer
diameter: 30.00 mm
alloy: Gold Au 986
fine weight: 16.00 g
total weight: 16.23 g

The Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire (German: Reichskrone) was the hoop crown (German: Bügelkrone) of the Holy Roman Emperor from the 11th century to the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806. The crown was used in the coronation of the King of the Romans, the title assumed by the Emperor-elect immediately after his election. It was made in the late 10th or early 11th centuries. Unlike many other crowns, it has an octagonal rather than a circular shape, and is constructed from eight hinged plates. The plate in the front of the crown is surmounted by a cross, with a single arch linking it to a plate at the rear of the crown. The crown is now exhibited at the Hofburg in Vienna.
The crown was made probably somewhere in Western Germany, either under Otto I (with additions by Conrad II), by Conrad II or Conrad III during the late 10th and early 11th centuries. The first preserved mention of it is from the 12th century—assuming it is the same crown, which seems very probable.
Most of the Kings of the Romans of the Holy Roman Empire were crowned with it. Along with the Imperial Cross (German: Reichskreuz), the Imperial Sword (German: Reichsschwert), and the Holy Lance (German: Heilige Lanze), the crown was the most important part of the Imperial Regalia (German: Reichskleinodien). During the coronation, it was given to the new king along with the sceptre (German: Reichszepter) and the Imperial Orb (German: Reichsapfel). The Imperial Regalia of the Holy Roman Empire, especially the Imperial Crown, were all kept 1424–1796 in Nuremberg, Franconia—and could only leave the city for the coronation.
Currently, the crown and the rest of the Imperial Regalia are exhibited at the Hofburg in Vienna—officially "until there is again a Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation".
An identical copy is in Aachen in Germany in the Krönungssaal of Charlemagne's former palace, now the town hall. There are also copies of the crown and regalia in the historic museum of Frankfurt, as most of the later Emperors were crowned in the cathedral of the city, as well in the fortress of Trifels in the Electorate of the Palatinate, where the Imperial Crown was stored in medieval times. The newest authorised copy is kept in Czech castle Karlštejn along the a copy of the Crown of Saint Wenceslas.

Otto I (23 November 912 – 7 May 973), also known as Otto the Great, was emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, reigning as German king from 936 until his death in 973. The oldest son of Henry I the Fowler and Matilda of Ringelheim, Otto was "the first of the Germans to be called the emperor of Italy".

Austrian Gold Coins 25 Schilling Gold Coin of 1935.

Austria 25 Schilling Gold Coin

Österreich 25 Schilling

Austrian 25 Schilling Gold Coins of 1935.
Austrian Twenty-Five schillings were issued in gold from 1926 to 1938.
Austrian Gold Coins, collection of Austrian  coins, Gold Coins of Europe, Austrian Coinages, Austrian Gold Money and Coins, European Coins, Collecting the Coins of Austria, gold coins for investment.

Obverse: Half-length bust of St. Leopold on plinth, holding banner with arms of Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) and model of Abbey.
Legend: . ST . LEOPOLD .
Comment: Date (1935) below.

Reverse: Nimbate double-headed eagle facing, with wings spread, shield with Austrian coat-of-arms on breast.
Comment: OESTERREICH . 25 SCHILLING .

Mint Place: Vienna
Mintage: 2,880 pcs.
Diameter: 20 mm; Weight: 5.88 gram of  Gold (.900)

Saint Leopold III (German: Luitpold,1073 – 15 November 1136) was the Margrave of Austria from 1095 to his death in 1136. He was a member of the House of Babenberg. He was canonized on 6 January 1485 and became the patron saint of Austria, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, and Vienna. His feast day is 15 November.

Austro-Hungarian Gold Coins 10 Korona Gold Coin of 1910, Franz Josef I Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary.

Austro-Hungarian Gold Coins - 10 Korona

10 Korona Gold Coin

Austro-Hungarian - Kingdom of Hungary, Franz Josef I. 10 Korona Gold Coin of 1910.
Attractive type with Holy Crown of St. Stephen & Angels

Obverse: Crowned Hungarian royal arms, held by winged angels, mintmark (K.B) below.
Legend: MAGYAR KIRALYSAG / 10 KORONA
Translated: "Hungarian Kingdom / 10 Korona"

Reverse: Figure of Franz Josef I standing, wearing crown of St. Stephen, cape, staff and orb with Hungarian double cross.
Legend: FERENCZ JÓZSEF I . K . A . CS . ÉS M . H . S . D . O . AP . KIR . 1908


Mint place: Kremnitz (KB)
Reference: Friedberg 252, KM-485.
Diameter: 19 mm; Weight: 3.37 gram of  Gold (.900)


The Korona (osztrák-magyar korona) was the official currency of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1892 (when it replaced the Forint as part of the adoption of the gold standard) until the dissolution of the empire in 1918.

The Holy Crown of Hungary (Magyar Szent Korona, Latin: Sacra Corona), also known as the Crown of Saint Stephen, is the only crown known today with "holy" attribute.

The Hungarian coronation insignia consists of the Holy Crown, the sceptre, the orb, and the mantle. Since the twelfth century kings have been crowned with the still extant crown. The orb has the coat-of-arms of the Hungarian king Károly Róbert of Anjou (1310-1342); the other insignia can be linked to Saint Stephen.

The Crown was bound to the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen, (sometimes the Sacra Corona meant the Land, the Carpathian Basin, but it also meant the coronation body, too). (see more: Doctrine of the Holy Crown) No king of Hungary was regarded as having been truly legitimate without being crowned with it. In the history of Hungary, more than fifty kings were crowned with it (the two kings who were not so crowned were Sigismund Johann II and Joseph II).
Franz Josef I (English: Francis Joseph) Emperor of Austria, king of Hungary, (1830-1916), born in Vienna. The last significant Habsburg monarch.

Hungary Double Gold Ducat 1764 Maria Theresa

 2 Ducats, Maria Theresa

 Double Ducat, Maria Theresa

Hungary Double Gold Ducat coin of 1764, Maria Theresa.

Obverse: Standing crowned figure of Maria Theresia right, holding Imperial orb and sceptre. K-B in fields.
Legend: M. THER . D:G . [R] . I . G . H . B . R . A . A . D . B . C . T .
Exergue: - 2 - (2 Ducats)

Reverse: Nimbate crowned Madonna, seated in couds, holding nimbate Jesus child, stepping on crescent.
Comment: Crowned Arms of the Kingdom of Hungary flanked by floral ornaments below.
Legend: P[A]TRONA . REGNI . HUNGARIAE . 1764 .

Mintage: 40,000 pcs!
Mint Place: Kremnitz (K-B)
Reference: Friedberg 179, KM-379. RR!
Diameter: 24 mm
Weight: 6.9 gram of Gold (.990) - 0.2222 oz. AGW.