Austrian Gold Philharmonic Coins

1 ounce Vienna Philharmonic Gold Coins available from JM Bullion.








Product | Best Price | |
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1 oz Austrian Gold Philharmonic Coin | As Low As
$2976.04
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Few countries are synonymous with music the way that Austria is. Thus, it is fitting that the 1 oz Austrian Gold Philharmonic Coin pays tribute to the country’s rich classical music history. It is also an excellent bullion coin that is minted with .9999 fine gold.
1 oz Austrian Gold Philharmonic Coin Price
The 1 oz Austrian Gold Philharmonic derives the foundation of its value from its metal content. More specifically, it relies on the spot price for a troy ounce of gold. The spot price, though technically a reflection of short-term futures contracts, is generally accepted as the market price for gold.
However, the spot price is only the starting point. On top of the spot price, you will discover that whichever precious metals provider you choose will have attached a premium on top of the baseline.
The premium is the amount of money that the dealer charges for its profit. However, it also serves as a reflection of the coin’s prestige and, by extension, its liquidity with buyers and sellers.
For the 1 oz Austrian Gold Philharmonic Coin, its premiums fall between 2.5% and 4.5%. Compared with other sovereign coins, its premium is about average. However, the highest premium coins on the market - the American market, anyway - are generally the American Gold Eagle and Gold Buffalo.
Find the Lowest Price on 1 oz Austrian Gold Philharmonic Coin
Truthfully, the premium on a 1 oz Austrian Gold Philharmonic is not terribly significant in terms of the extra cost. You’ll pay no more than $150 above spot, and often much less than that.
However, getting the lowest price is still important. So, here are a few ways to shop for 1 oz Austrian Gold Philharmonic that could help you minimize the premium you must pay.
First, proof and uncirculated coins are always going to be more expensive. These coins are made with specific and exacting standards, and both the mint and the dealers charge extra for the specialization. So, stick to the Philharmonics that are classified as bullion coins.
Secondly, you can also choose to buy Philharmonics from a random year, rather than a specific one. In that case, you’ll end up getting the coins that the dealer has in stock or, preferably, as overstock. If you aren’t trying to collect an entire set and get a specific year’s coin, it will be cheaper.
Now it pays to buy in bulk when it comes to precious metals. We’d recommend doing so with the Austrian Philharmonics. However, it may be tough to find plastic tubes of them. If you do happen to find a tube of 10 and can afford the higher absolute price of them, you’ll end up making a more cost-effective purchase and your per-coin cost will be lower.
Description
The 1 oz Austrian Philharmonic traces its history back to 1989. In the same year as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the “Eastern Kingdom” released its first bullion coin.
Truth be told, the two were coincidental. The Austrian Philharmonic debuted as part of a wave of bullion coins in the 1980s. The Austrian coin appeared only three years after the launch of the American Gold Eagle, for instance. It was just the thing to do - especially as a way to repudiate the South African apartheid system.
The Philharmonic is quite similar to the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf and the Australian Lunar in terms of weight and purity. More or less, you would choose it over those others due to aesthetic concerns more than anything else.
The coin itself features images reminiscent of Austria’s long history of musical contributions from the likes of Mozart, Haydn, and Strauss. The obverse depicts the Musikverein Pipe Organ that resides inside the Golden Hall. The Golden Hall is the home of the world-famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
The reverse of the coin displays some of the instruments that the Philharmonic members play. A Vienna horn, a bassoon, a harp, a cello, and four violins are placed together in a sort of collage that is undeniably emblematic of the orchestra and Austria itself.
Coin Highlights
Here are some top points about the 1 oz Austrian Gold Philharmonic if you want the highlights about the coin:
- 1 troy ounce of gold.
- .9999 fine gold.
- First released in 1989.
- The obverse features the Musikverein Pipe Organ in Vienna’s Golden Hall.
- The reverse features several philharmonic instruments, including violins and a Vienna horn.
- Face value is €100.
- Until 2002, face value was 2000 Austrian Schillings.
Fractional Coins
As is common for many sovereign mints, the Austrian Mint releases versions of the Austrian Gold Philharmonic that bear various fractions of an ounce of gold, rather than containing the full ounce of the big coin. The purpose of offering these smaller coins is simple - the spot price of gold means that 1 oz Austrian Philharmonics cost thousands of dollars to buy.
Since most people don’t have thousands of dollars lying around, fractional coins are an appealing option. As it happens, the Austrian Mint actually offers more fractional denominations than other mints do on their bullion coins. In addition to the common ½ oz, ¼ oz, and 1/10 oz versions, you can also buy the Austrian Gold Philharmonic with a tiny 1/25th of an ounce of gold in it.
Again, all these versions are minted with the same purity. They’re just much smaller and come with noticeably smaller prices.
Don’t be deceived, though. If you are looking for a cost-effective option, where you draw closer to the spot price, fractional coins are not the answer. On a proportional basis, the premiums for fractionals are far higher than that of bigger coins.
As we mentioned above, buying in bulk is better when it comes to precious metals and coins. So, if this is all your budget allows and you want to get started, there’s nothing wrong with that. However, you need to understand the tradeoff you are accepting for the lower price.
Specifications
Bullion Dealers |
JM Bullion, Provident Metals, BGASC, Silver.com |
Years minted |
1989 - Present |
Mint Mark |
No |
Purity |
.9999 |
Manufacturer |
Austrian Mint |
Diameter |
37 mm |
Thickness |
2 mm |
Face value |
2000 ATS or 100 euros |
Obverse design |
Musikverein Pipe Organ |
Reverse design |
Multiple instruments, including violins and harp |
Designer |
Thomas Pesendorfer |
Edge design |
Smooth |
Packaging type |
Plastic flip |
Package dimensions |
1.5 x 1.5 x .08 |
Shipping costs |
JM Bullion (free over $199) |