The Vienna Philharmonic coin is produced by the Austrian Mint in Vienna, Austria since 1989. The Austrian Mint guarantees for its weight and purity and backs its monetary face value, which was the highest of any gold bullion coin when it was denominated in the Austrian currency Schilling, before the introduction of the Euro. It is one of the few gold coins that circulated in two different denominations. The coin is available in four sizes, 1oz, ½ oz, ¼ oz, and 1/10 oz. All sizes are struck in pure .9999 (24 karats) gold. The Vienna Philharmonic was the best selling gold bullion coin in the world in 1992, 1995, and 1996.
The Vienna Philharmonic was designed by Austrian engraver Thomas Pesendorfer. The obverse side of the coin shows a collection of orchestral instruments (a cello, four violins, a Vienna horn, bassoon, and harp) which represents the world-renowned Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as the German inscription WIENER PHILHARMONIKER (“Vienna Philharmonic”). The reverse design features the image of the “Great Organ” located in Vienna’s “Golden Hall,” the concert hall where the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra performs. The country of issue, the gold weight in ounces, legal tender value in euros, and the coin’s purity are also stamped on the reverse side of the coin.
All Vienna Philharmonic coins contain .9999 (or 24 karats) fine gold. The 1oz coin has the largest diameter of a 1oz pure gold coin in the world.
The Austrian Mint also produces a silver Vienna Philharmonic as an investment coin. Its annual mintage depends on demand. The silver Vienna Philharmonic has a face value is €1.50, a weight of 1 troy oz (31.103 g), a thickness of 3.2 mm and a diameter of 37 mm. In October 2004, the Austrian Mint released a massive 1,000 oz Vienna Philharmonic Gold coin to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Europe’s only pure gold bullion coin. This mega-coin is affectionately referred to as the “Big Phil.” The Mint produced only 15 of these enormous coins, each weighing in at slightly more than 68 pounds of pure .9999 fine gold and carrying a face value of 100,000 euro.
The Vienna Philharmonic coin is very popular among investors as it is internationally recognized and widely revered for its purity and beauty. As the gold coin is eligible for Gold IRA account, the Vienna Philharmonic is a great way to diversify your portfolio.