Owner Comments:
Austria, Gold - Bullion, Vienna Philharmonic - 1989, 2000 Shilling
Composition: Gold (1oz .9999 pure)
Diameter: 37mm
Mintage: 351,000
Obverse: The Vienna Musikverein's Golden Hall pipe organ. Designed by Thomas Pesendorfer.
Reverse: Various instruments of the Vienna Philharmonic, including the Viennese horn, bassoon, harp, four violins, and a cello. Designed by Thomas Pesendorfer.
This gold bullion coin is named for the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra and is minted by the Austrian Mint. The 1oz gold version was introduced in October 1989 and is one of the world's best selling bullion coins.
Over the years various fractional sizes have been introduced, and in 2008 a silver 1oz version was introduced. Originally featuring a denomination of 2,000 Austrian shillings, the gold 1oz coin was updated in 2002 with a value of 100 euros with the adaptation of that currency. The 1oz silver coin has a denomination of 1.5 euro.
I'm a musician and audiophile, so naturally I love the music theme chosen for this coin. According to the Austria Mint's literature, music is "a harmonious ambassador whose language is understood the world over." A sentiment I agree with, rendered in a design I feel is very attractive.
I submitted this coin raw for grading.