1oz Austrian Philharmonic Silver Coin 2017

2017 Silver Philharmonic coin

This is a brand new bullion finish 1oz coin. Coins are shipped loose for small orders, in tubes of 20, and boxes of 500.

First produced in 2008, the 1oz Austrian Silver Philharmonic coin is the most highly minted coin in Europe and qualifies as legal tender in Austria with a face value of Euro 1.50. The obverse features the Great Organ in the Viennese Musikverei concert hall while the reverse displays a host of instruments representing the world-famous Philharmonic orchestra. This reflects Austria’s long association with classical music and composition.

History

First minted on 1 February 2008, the Silver Philharmonic’s first year of issuance was around 7.7 million pieces – its lowest annual issue amount. Once the Austrian Mint recognised its popularity and potential as an investment coin, they subsequently ramped up the annual issuance, surpassing 17 million units in some years, making it the most common and well recognised silver bullion coin on the continent. It could be argued that the Austrian Mint has its roots as far back as 1194 when Duke Leopold V granted freedom to Richard the Lionheart in exchange for 12 tonnes of silver, which he used to produce coins. This marked the beginning of an 800-year rich history of Austrian silver coin production, although historical records only recognise its official existence 200 years later. Originally called The Vienna Principal Mint, its name changed to the Austrian Mint in 1989.

The original design of the coin by Thomas Pesendorfer was used initially on the 1oz gold Philharmonic from 1989. The coin has always been revered as one of the most beautiful bullion coins available on the market.

Our Expert Opinion

The Austrian Philharmonic Silver coin is a must for any silver coin collection. The design is world-renowned and admired, but the coin also provides fantastic value as an investment coin. Premiums on the coin are low, especially as you increase the quantity. We’d recommend buying as many in one go as possible to benefit from the generous sliding price scale this coin offers. As a well established and consistent coin, it also commands a strong buyback price, making it an excellent choice for pure value silver investment. For larger buyers, its foreign status does mean that it doesn’t possess the same tax-free status as the UK coins. If you think Capital Gains Tax (CGT) could be an issue, you may be better off selecting one of the British coins like the best-selling Silver Britannia. Don’t let this put you off though, everyone in the UK is allowed to make annual capital gains of around £11,000 before CGT is charged. Even with large portfolios of non-UK coins, they can be sold strategically in tranches year to year to avoid a tax hit on your well-deserved profits.