Austrian 1920 500 Kronen
Austria
1920
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$1,139.42
Based on Gold spot price ($4,861.465/oz) · 90.0% purity · 8.1g
Updated 5:56 PM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | Austria |
| Years Minted | 1920 |
| Composition | 90% gold |
| Weight | 8.1 g |
| Diameter | 21 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Design
Obverse
The obverse features the portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I facing right.
Reverse
The reverse depicts the Austrian imperial eagle with the denomination below.
History & Notable Facts
The 1920 Austrian 500 Kronen coin was struck in gold during the depths of post-World War I hyperinflation, a time when Austria's currency lost value so rapidly that people hoarded metal for stability.
Weighing about 16.8 grams with a fineness of 900/1000, it featured a portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph on the obverse, despite the monarchy's fall, and a double-headed eagle on the reverse. Exact mintage figures are murky; records from the Vienna Mint were often incomplete during the chaos.
What is clear is that these coins were recycled from existing gold reserves, a practical move in an era of scarcity. Some ended up as bullion abroad, outlasting the Krone itself.
Austria replaced the currency in 1925, rendering the 500 Kronen obsolete almost overnight. A footnote: even numismatists get tired of hearing it called "inflation-proof."
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