Austrian 8 Florin - 5,81 gram Gold

Gold florin, 8 florin gold coin

The 4 florin gold coin, also called gold florin, is a restrike of the Austrian Mint with the year of issue 1892. The florin is a coin that has its origin in Germany. There, gold florins were minted from the 14th century, and later silver florins. In Austria, the florin was the official currency in the 19th century. France, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland founded the Latin Union in 1865. In these countries, all florins were to be equal to each other in value, size and weight. Although Austria did not join the Latin Union, it still minted a 4 florin piece and also an 8 florin piece. Both pieces had the same specifications as those of the Union. Because of its mintage and use as a so-called circulation coin, the Florin gold coin is a popular bullion coin. Also called a gold florin, the florin was replaced by the crown in 1892 as part of the currency reform, but continued to circulate in Austria until 1900.

Please note that the coin offered is an official new mintage of the Austrian Mint AG. The coins all uniformly bear the year of minting 1892 as the last year of minting of the original coin. Original copies with the minting years 1892 are collector's items with sometimes significant price premiums.

Front

The 4 florin guilder gold coins feature a portrait of the Emperor of Austria, Franz Joseph I, known to many people as Franzel and husband of Empress Sisi. The Emperor wears a laurel wreath around his head, held together with a ribbon at the back. The inscription on the edge of the coin on the 4 gold florin reads FRANCISCVS IOSEPHVS I D G IMPERATOR ET REX.

Back

On the value side of the 8 florin gold florin you can see the coat of arms of the Austrian Empire with the double-headed eagle, above whose heads the crown of Rudolf is depicted. Seen from the front, the eagle holds an imperial sword in its talons on the left and an imperial orb on the right. The marginal inscription reads IMPERIVM AVSTRIACVM, and at the bottom you can see the year of minting, 1892. On the left, below the coat of arms, you can see the face value of 4 fl. for 4 florins, and on the right side, 10 fr. for francs is stamped.

Tradeable sizes: 
4 florin, 8 florin