Austrian 20 Schilling

This 1981 20 Schilling coin was among the first in Austria to employ a bimetallic structure, with a copper-nickel outer ring encasing an aluminum-bronze center, a practical measure against forgery in an era of rising counterfeits.

That design choice reflected Austria's shift toward modern security features in its currency, even as the schilling series wound down before the euro's arrival. The obverse bears the federal coat of arms, flanked by the inscription "Republik Österreich," while the reverse simply states the denomination and year. Struck at the Vienna Mint, it entered circulation as a workaday coin, not a collector's fancy.

Exact mintage figures? Lost to time or poor record-keeping, as with many routine issues from that period. I've handled hundreds over the years, and let me tell you, they're sturdier than they look.