On March 9, the Austrian Mint will release the newest issue of the hugely successful and sought after bi-metallic niobium and silver coin series, this year honoring Time.
The theoretical meaning of time may have long been a major subject of debate among philosophers, physicists and religious figures, but the more practical discipline of its measurement has proved to be less of a mystery. Dedicated to the history of chronometry, the latest ingenious addition to the Austrian Mint’s best-selling silver-niobium coins, “Time” uses the two-tone niobium core, light purple and azure blue and outer silver ring to show a selection of timepieces throughout the ages. The obverse of the coin also shows the country of issue “Republik Österreich” Republic of Austria and the face value of 25 euros.
The sun and moon, are featured on the coin’s reverse, along with an hourglass and watch mechanism, which were widely used until the 16th century. It was determined back then that an hour lasts 60 minutes, though time has since been increasingly sub-divided, first into seconds and eventually nanoseconds. This has had the effect of making time ever more precious, with the phrase “time is money“, famously coined by Benjamin Franklin in 1748, being more pertinent today than ever. Standing for lasting value in a fast-moving world, the coin shows an old-fashioned clock face in the niobium core and a chronometer in the outer silver ring of its obverse, while the reverse also shows a time spiral and the time in a selection of famous cities.
Both sides of the coins were designed and engraved by mint engraver Helmut Andexlinger (View Designer’s Profile).
The Austrian Mint’s silver niobium coins are not only of interest to coin experts but have also reached a far wider audience. All of the coins in the series to-date are sold out and are now only available on the secondary market, where they command prices well over their original value.
The new two-tone Time coin is minted to a maximum of 65,000 pieces in Special Uncirculated quality only and coin contains nine grams of 900 Fine Silver in its outer ring and 6.5 grams of 998 pure niobium. Each piece is encapsulated, boxed and comes complete with a numbered certificate guaranteeing its authenticity.
