Austria, 1925, 1/2 Schilling, Silver KM 2839

[aws22]

Austria, 1925, 1/2 Schilling, Silver KM 2839   
Weight: 3 gm
Diameter: 19 mm
Metal Silver 0.6400
Obverse: Austrian shield at center
Reverse: Numeric value in diamond at center
Mintage 18,370,000
Nice silver coin.

Maythem

[Figleaf]

The year 1925 is important in the financial history of Austria. The Austrian schilling was introduced on 1st March 1925. Between the final years of the empire and 1925, Austria had seen a succession of failing currencies, sinking in inflation. The new schilling was worth 10 000 Austro-Hungarian Kronen. People must have lost all faith in fiat currency, but this time it was different: the victorious countries of the first world war had learned that high inflation not only destroys the economy, it radicalises the population. To underline the change, Austrian coins needed a radical break with the past.

This coin shows the influence of a German school: Bauhaus. The lettering is typical, but so is the rest, except for the Austrian arms (Bindenschild). The repeated outlines are in fact a visual joke. You can interpret them as layers on top of each other or as layers below each other.

The nazis considered Bauhaus as "degenerate art" and a "front for communism". Indeed, when they closed the school, a number of teachers fled to the Soviet Union, which at this time had a lively and free art culture. The final blow for the schilling was the merging (Anschluss) of Austria and Germany. The Schilling ceased to exist; 3 Schilling being valued at 2 Marks. However, in 1945, the Schilling was re-introduced.

Peter

[aws22]

Thank you Peter, I like the way of adding the date 1925.

Maythem

[Pellinore]

Although a collector of ancient and medieval coins, I bought this half Schilling a short while ago, because I was so much attracted by the design. It is by Philipp Häusler,, a pupil of Josef Hoffmann (Wiener Werkstätte) - who had a great influence on the transition from Jugendstil to Art Deco. It's a low silver coin (64% silver, 36% copper), but it looks silvery enough. A beauty!
-- Paul

[aws22]

Dear Paul, it is a beautifully designed coin. For coins in circulation, 64% silver content is silvery enough as similar coins are normally made of 50% silver. Thank you for posting your coin.

Maythem

[Figleaf]

64% silver, 36% copper is the hardest silver alloy. Post second world war coins of the Netherlands were also struck with this silver combination.

Peter

[Pellinore]

That was 72% silver (learnt it from Schulman's standard work): harder than nickel.
--Paul

[Figleaf]

You are quite right, Pellinore. I managed to confuse a date (1964) and a fineness (720/1000)

Peter