The Austrian Philharmonic Coin is an Austrian bullion coin made of gold, silver, or platinum. The Austrian Mint produces these coins.
One of the best gold coins for investment; the coins are available in multiple sizes. The silver is available in a 1-ounce version.
What is a Philharmonic Coin?
The Philharmonic coin comes in gold, silver, and platinum versions. The gold bullion coin has five different amounts of gold, and the silver has one ounce of silver in every coin.
Over 14 million Philharmonic coins have been sold, making it one of the most popular collectible coins any government has minted since its inception in 1989.
In terms of appearance, whether the topic is the Gold or Silver Philharmonic coin, few coins are as beautiful as the gold or silver Philharmonic coin series.
On the obverse side of the coin is the Golden Hall (the concert hall of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra) and pipe organ.
The reverse design has eight instruments: a cello, french horn, bassoon, harp, and four violins. The Austrian National Council authorized the Philharmonic Coins series to create a collectible, precious metal coin commemorating that country’s world-famous orchestra.
Known as the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, it held its first concert in 1842 and is known for its unique sound, exceptional musicians, and range of music performed.
How Much is a Gold or Silver Philharmonic Coin Worth?
As with any coin made of a precious metal, the Austrian Philharmonic series of coins possess three values:
- The legal tender face value of the coin
- The precious metal value of the coin
- The collectible value of the coin
With precious metals, the metal’s value often exceeds the coin’s face value. For example, the face value of a 1 oz gold coin piece is worth about $100 US, based on current exchange rates.
An ounce of gold, however, is worth over $1,700 per ounce. In addition to that, many dealers will tack on an additional amount that is market driven.
The silver Philharmonic Coin works under the same formula.
Austrian Philharmonic Coins (Gold & Silver)
The Austrian Philharmonic Coin series comes in platinum, gold, and silver. The precious metal values of the coins fluctuate based on market prices and trends.
Generally, the coin value will increase when the world economy is in a downturn and increase when it performs well.
The first Austrian Philharmonic Coin was minted in 1989. It was authorized by the Austrian National Council in 1988 and was designed by Thomas Pesendorfer.
The first coins came minted in one and one quarter ounce gold. The gold has a 99.999 percent purity. Gold and platinum coins are reeded, while silver coins are smooth.
Gold Philharmonic Coin Sizes
- 1/25 Ounce: 13 mm diameter, 1.2 mm thickness, 1.24-gram weight with a face value of 4 euros
- 1/10 Ounce: 16 mm diameter, 1.2 mm thickness, 3.12-gram weight with a face value of 10 euros
- 1/4 Ounce: 22 mm diameter, 1.2 mm thickness, 7.77-gram weight with a face value of 25 euros
- 1/2 Ounce: 28 mm diameter, 1.6 mm thickness, 15.52-gram weight with a face value of 50 euros
- 1 Ounce: 27 mm diameter, 2 mm thickness, 31.10-gram weight with a face value of 100 euros
Silver Philharmonic Coins
1 Ounce: 37 mm diameter, 3.2 mm thickness, 31.10-gram weight with a face value of 1.5 euros (this is the largest diameter of the coin series)
Pros and Cons
The pros of owning an Austrian Philharmonic coin, gold or silver, are that they are:
- Beautiful: Arguably, the Philharmonics are the most beautiful precious metal coins made
- A high percentage of precious metal purity
- Consistent and long-term value
- Proof in Uncirculated Condition is provided, ensuring the gold coins’ value
- There are no Philharmonic circulation coins, so the value for individual coins is easy to identify
The ownership con is the individual purchase price of each precious metal on the precious metal market.
While gold or silver will always be valuable, precious metals tend to increase only when economies suffer, and prices fall when economies stabilize or are doing well.
The other drawback is that once you own one, you will want to own one of each Philharmonic type and weight.
Are Austrian Philharmonics a Good Investment?
If you are a collector of bullion or commemorative coins, the Austrian Philharmonic is one of the best to invest in because it is so popular.
That gives it a collectible value in addition to the precious metal in the coin. So, for example, a 1-ounce gold Philharmonic coin is worth the market price for a price of gold and then some value above that because of collectability.
Whether you are buying gold or silver Philharmonics, they will be worth the face value of the coins, but you will probably always be able to get more for the precious metal content.
The gold version of the Philharmonic provides you with multiple sizes, with the smallest worth about $70. That size lets just about anyone own some gold.
In addition, the inscription on the Philharmonic is beautiful. That makes it a worthwhile addition to any coin collection.
If you are interested in owning any version of the Austrian Philharmonic, you should talk to an authorized dealer today to learn about coin sizes and costs.
FAQ’s
The following are some questions most people have about investing in Austrian gold and silver coins.
