Leopold V. (2019) - 1 Oz - Silver Investment Coin

Like many other mints, the Austrian Mint (Münze Österreich) issues silver investment coins in the internationally popular format of one troy ounce (1 oz) of silver. The best known of these is the “Vienna Philharmonic” series, but the mint also issues coins featuring other designs. The coins have a face value of 1.5 euros; since these are not standard circulation denominations (ranging from 1 eurocent to 2 euros), they are legal tender only in Austria, not throughout the entire eurozone. As with all investment coins, however, their actual value is based primarily on their metal content and the current market price of that metal on commodity markets.

The Mint states the following about this coin:

All three coins commemorating the 825th anniversary of the founding of the Vienna Mint are linked to the ransom paid to the Austrian Duke Leopold V for the release of the English King Richard “the Lionheart” in 1194. All three coins also contain one ounce of pure silver, the precious metal used to pay the enormous ransom and which partially financed the construction of the Wiener Neustadt fortress—the subject of the second coin in this very special series.

Prince Leopold V—a key figure in Austria’s early history. In 1194, he received a large ransom in silver for the captive English King Richard the Lionheart, and the money he obtained helped him establish the Vienna Mint and build fortresses such as Wiener Neustadt.