Lot #648: Rare Austria 1881 One Kreuzer Coin - Double-Headed Eagle ("Doppeladler") - Oak Wreath - Austro-Hungarian Monarchy - 145 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 combined arms of Habsburg-Lorraine and Austria on its breast. This early version of the Imperial Double-Headed Eagle is more "feather-heavy" and ornate than the later Heller designs. Lettering: K·K·OESTERREICHISCHE SCHEIDEMÜNZE (Imperial and Royal Austrian Small Money). The word "SCHEIDEMÜNZE" distinguished it as "token" or "fiat" coinage rather than inherent high-value silver. The initials "K. K." represent the dual monarchy, standing for "Kaiserlich und Königlich" ("Imperial and Royal"), since from 1867 to 1918, the Habsburg monarch of of Austria-Hungary reigned simultaneously as both the "Kaiser" (Emperor) of Austria and the "König" (King) of Hungary, while the two territories were joined in a two-state federation. Reverse: The reverse is a masterclass in 19th-century symmetry. At the centre is the large numeral "1" (Kreuzer) above the date 1881. The denomination "1" (Kreuzer) is completely enclosed by a lush, circular oak wreath, representing strength and endurance. The Austria 1881 One Kreuzer coin represents the final year of this specific design series. Struck in pure copper during the middle of Emperor Franz Joseph I’s reign, it belongs to the era of the Austrian Gulden, a time of relative economic stability before the empire transitioned to the Crown (Heller/Krone) system in 1892. Dimensions: Copper 19.25 mm 3.15 g Pickup category timeslot {A}