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The ¼ oz Austrian Philharmonic is one of the fractional coins produced by the Austrian Mint. The coin is part of Austria’s iconic Philharmonic series, and offers the same .9999 purity as its brethren.

1/4 oz Austrian Philharmonic Price

The act of setting a price on the ¼ oz Austrian Philharmonic begins with the spot price of gold. The spot price is, effectively, the market price for a troy ounce of gold. It reflects the price assigned to gold futures contracts that are soonest to expire.

For ¼ oz coins, it is necessarily to figure out the proportional spot price as the foundational value of the coin. So, whatever the current spot price is, divide it by 4.

From the spot price, every dealer on the planet adds an additional cost that serves as its fee for arranging and processing the transaction. This cost is known as the premium. If it helps, you can also consider precious metals dealers to be brokers, and the premium is their commission. 

Now, the premiums on ¼ oz Philharmonics vary from dealer to dealer and, in some cases, from coin to coin. In general, the coins bear premiums between roughly 6% and 20% above the spot price.

In general, ¼ oz Philharmonics have premiums that are about average in the panoply of ¼ oz coins. However, the percentage range mentioned above is pretty wide, so it’s a bit less instructive to consider the average Philharmonic as the typical price you’ll pay.

The premiums also suggest how easy or difficult it may be to resell your ¼ Philharmonics on the back end. Higher premiums usually mean that there is demand for them and they are more liquid. Don’t misunderstand, though - there is no wrong answer when it comes to deciding on an Austrian Philharmonic. They are great pieces of gold to own.

Find the Lowest Price on 1/4 oz Austrian Philharmonic

However, we are smart precious metals investors, so we need to make sure we keep the premiums we pay low. Even though ¼ oz coins are much less expensive than 1 oz coins, they are still expensive enough to look for ways to get a good deal.

The first thing to do is to shop around. We live in a glorious time where different shopkeepers - online ones, anyway - are available to compare with only a few button presses or swipes. Thus, there’s no reason that you should go with the first dealer offer you see. 

We do have a few recommendations for possible dealers, though. Make sure you check out these great sites:

• JM Bullion
• BGASC.com
• Provident Metals
• Silver.com

What these sites have in common is that we can vouch for their reputation and expertise. They have years of experience and sterling reputations with both the Better Business Bureau and with their millions of customers.

However, you don’t have to take our word for it or, for that matter, do business with one of those four. Whichever you choose should be an established website with a long history of reputable work. If something smells fishy or unprofessional about a dealer, there are too many great precious metals vendors to take a chance.

Even if the dealer seems aboveboard, you should also be careful to avoid any individual deals or offers that seem too good to be true. In a way, the appearance of a regular premium is a good thing because you don’t have to squint to understand the dealer’s interest in the deal. 

By contrast, deals that are below spot price should be treated with great suspicion. You may encounter a few at-spot deals from time to time, but these should be one-time promotional offers for new customers. Otherwise, there’s no telling where the dealer is cutting costs to make the deal happen.

Once you’ve settled on a precious metals dealer, there are a few choices you can make that will keep your purchase on the low end of the premium range. Here’s what to do:

• Look for coins that seem plain, for lack of a better term. Any coins designated to be proof coins or uncirculated coins - including BU, which stands for “Brilliant Uncirculated” - are going to come with higher premiums because the Austrian Mint must use specialized processes and procedures to create them.
• Let the mint decide the year. Select a “random year” coin if you can, as the dealer is able to move some of its standing inventory that, in some cases, it is anxious to sell. Additionally, some years are pricier than others due to lower mintages or unique design features.
• Buy a bunch of Philharmonics at once. If you can buy a plastic tube of 20 ¼ oz Philharmonics, you are going to get a much better deal on a per-coin basis. As it turns out, the model favored by Costco customers also works for numismatism and precious metals collecting.

Description

The ¼ oz Austrian Philharmonic has been available to the public since 1989. Interestingly, it was the only fractional coin released simultaneously with the 1 oz Philharmonic. All other fractional coins came later.

Like their larger brethren, the ¼ oz Austrian Philharmonics are minted at a .9999 purity level. They also have the same designs on either side, both of which are the product of engraver Thomas Pesendorfer.

On their obverse, the ¼ Philharmonics depict the Great Organ that resides in Vienna’s Musikverein. The Musikverein is the home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the world-renowned music group that is synonymous with the national identity of Austria.

Likewise, the reverse of the coin tips its cap to the country’s deep connection with classical music. So, images of musical instruments like violins, a cello, a harp, and a French horn appear in relief on the back side of the coin.

The biggest change that these coins have undergone in their production run is to their face value. Initially, these coins bore a face value of 500 Austrian Schillings. However, after Austria joined the European Union, the ¼ oz Philharmonic’s face value became €50.

Coin Highlights

If you don’t want to read too deeply about the ¼ oz Austrian Philharmonic, here are the nuts-and-bolts details that you need to know about it:

• ¼ troy ounce of gold.
• .9999 fine gold.
• Obverse depicts the Great Organ located within the Golden Hall of Vienna’s Musikverein.
• Reverse features several instruments favored by the Vienna Philharmonic, including violins, a cello, a harp, and a French horn.
• Debuted in 1989 as first Philharmonic fractional coin.
• Earlier versions have a face value of 500 Austrian schillings.
• Current face value is €50. 

Buying Fractional Coins

If you’re considering buying a ¼ oz Austrian Philharmonic, you were likely attracted by its reduced price compared to the 1 oz version. After all, the ¼ oz almost divides the cost by 4.

It’s not a bad thought. With the price of an ounce of gold ranging into thousands of dollars, fewer people have the free cash lying around to make such a large purchase. Plus, you are certainly buying an excellent coin with apex purity and a well-known pedigree.

However, bear in mind the tip about bulk pricing above. Similarly, you will enjoy much lower premiums on larger coins than you will for these, as the fractional coins require different dies to press and, theoretically, may even require whole other machines. Those additional costs add up to higher premiums. 

In contrast to the 6% premium, you’ll at least pay for a ¼ oz Philharmonic, the full-size versions can be bought for less than 3% over the spot price. Still, the absolute price remains much higher than the fractional price, so you should do what your budget comfortably allows.

Specifications