Austrian Philharmonic Silver Coin

The Vienna Philharmonic, often shortened to Philharmonic, is a silver coin produced by the Austrian Mint.  The coin is named for the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra, which inspired the design of both sides.  In 2008, the mint introduced a one-ounce silver version of the coin with a nominal value of 1.50 euros.  The silver coin is also one of the top selling bullion coins, raked third in 2013.

Like any bullion coin, the value is based primarily on the metal content and the spot price of that metal in the commodities markets.  The silver Philharmonic has a fineness of .999 (often written .999, also known as 99.9% pure.  In most countries in Europe the silver Philharmonic is partly subject to a reduced VAT tax.  The coins are minted according to demand and production varies from year to year accordingly.  The design on the coin remains the same each year, only the year of issue changes.  From the outset, the obverse of the coin depicts the pipe organ in the Vienna Musikverein Golden Hall.  The reverse of the coin shows instruments of the Vienna Philharmonic, including the Vienna Horn, Bassoon, Harp and four Violins centered on a cello. Both designs were produced by the chief engraver of the Austrian Mint, Thomas Pesendorfer.

Specifications:

Year Random

Diameter: 37 mm

Thickness: 3.2 mm

Total Weight: 31.1 grams

Silver Content: 1 troy oz.

Purity: .999

Mint: Austrian Mint

Denomination: 1.5 EUR

Packaging: Singles in plastic flips, multiples of 20 in plastic tubes.