Lot #647: Rare Austria 1894 Two Heller Coin - Double-Headed Eagle ("Doppeladler") - Art Nouveau ("Jugendstil") - Austro-Hungarian Monarchy - Over 130 Years Old!

Obverse: Features the Imperial Double-Headed Eagle (the "Doppeladler"). The Double Heads of the Eagle represent the dual nature of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. The Eagle is crowned with the Imperial Crown of Austria (the Rudolfskrone) and bears the Austrian shield on its breast. Reverse: The reverse is a masterpiece of the Art Nouveau ("Jugendstil") movement, which was incredibly popular in Vienna at the time. The denomination, a large numeral "2", is enclosed in an elaborate, flowing Art Nouveau frame. Two small laurel twigs are positioned just below the numeral. The date "1894" is at the very bottom. This beautiful Austria 1894 Two Heller coin is a excellent example of the "Golden Age" of the Austrian Crown currency. Struck during the late reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I, this coin was minted before the metal shortages of World War I forced the empire to switch to cheaper materials like iron or zinc. Made of high-quality bronze, it survives with much better detail than the later "war money" issues. Dimensions: Bronze (95% Copper, 4% Tin, 1% Zinc) 19 mm. 3.35 g Pickup category timeslot {A}