To celebrate its 825th anniversary in 2019, the Austrian Mint has released a series of 3 limited edition coins to celebrate its fascinating story. Each coin has a face value of €1.5, supported by the Austrian government. The coins have a common obverse, depicting an Austrian crusader on horseback with the banner of Duke Leopold V.
○ Leopold V
Specifications
| Year | Purity | Nominal value | Depiction | Finish | Dimensions | Mintage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | .999 | 1.50 EUR | Leopold V | BU | 37.1*3.45mm | 100,000 |
During the Crusades in the 12th century, Leopold V joined the British King Richard the First, also known as Richard the Lionheart, and other European forces. At the Battle of Acre, he and his army arrived too late and were denied the spoils of war by the other allies. Then, in revenge, he captured Richard the Lionheart when he returned to England. He held him prisoner in Austria until he was ransomed for 15 tons of silver. Leopold V used this silver to found the Austrian Mint in 1194. On the reverse is an image of the Duke in his battle armour and sword. In the background, a banner shows the year 1194, commemorating the year of foundation of the Austrian Mint.
○ Wiener Neustadt
Specifications
| Year | Purity | Nominal value | Depiction | Finish | Dimensions | Mintage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | .999 | 1.50 EUR | Wiener Neustadt | BU | 37.1*3.45mm | 100,000 |
The second coin shows a beautifully detailed image of the fortress of Wiener Neustadt, built by Leopold V. The city's name means New Vienna and was built to defend southeastern Austria from the Hungarian kingdom in the 12th century. The city was built from the ground up around a central castle, the Burg Wiener Neustadt. For the construction of this castle, Leopold V used the silver from the ransom money. The original castle no longer exists, but it was of vital importance for the defense of the region against attacks from outside.
○ Robin Hood
Specifications
| Year | Purity | Nominal value | Depiction | Finish | Dimensions | Mintage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | .999 | 1.50 EUR | Robin Hood | BU | 37.1*3.45mm | 100,000 |
The final coin of the series is the Robin Hood coin. It depicts Robin Hood wearing a leather jacket and a hood over his head drawing two arrows. Robin Hood remains a beloved legend and whether he actually existed remains uncertain. What is clearer is that in order to raise the money to free Richard the Lionheart from Leopold V, the people had to pay heavy taxes and this caused severe social unrest in the country. Some historians believe that this led to the creation of the legend of Robin Hood.
English 
Dutch