Austria 5/10 Kreuzer — 1885 Small Eagle, NGC MS 63 RB
A beautiful 1885 Austria 5/10 Kreuzer, featuring the distinctive Small Eagle design from the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I. This copper coin belongs to the Austro-Hungarian Empire's decimalized gulden coinage and was issued during the final years of the 19th century.
The obverse displays the imperial Habsburg eagle with the Austrian and Habsburg-Lorraine coats of arms, surrounded by the inscription K.K. OESTERREICHISCHE SCHEIDEMÜNZE. The reverse features the denomination 5/10 above the date 1885, surrounded by an elegant oak-leaf wreath. The design was engraved by Franz Gaul and Johann Weiss.
The coin is struck in copper, measuring approximately 17 mm in diameter and weighing about 1.67 grams. The 1885 issue is particularly interesting because it is the year in which both Small Eagle and Large Eagle varieties exist. The Small Eagle variety is catalogued as KM#2183 and is distinguished from the Large Eagle variety by details of the eagle's design.
This example is certified by NGC as MS 63 RB (Mint State 63, Red-Brown). The RB designation indicates that the coin retains a combination of original reddish mint color and naturally toned brown surfaces, giving it attractive character for a copper collector.
According to the NGC population information provided, only 3 examples are graded MS 63 RB, with 13 examples graded higher. This relatively small certified population adds considerable interest for collectors seeking high-grade examples of the Small Eagle variety.
The 1885 5/10 Kreuzer represents a fascinating period in Austrian monetary history, when the Austro-Hungarian Empire was under the long reign of Franz Joseph I. The denomination was equal to one-half of a Kreuzer and formed part of the everyday copper coinage circulating throughout the empire. The 5/10 Kreuzer was demonetized in 1898.
An attractive and collectible late-19th-century Austrian copper coin, combining the historic Habsburg eagle, elegant oak-wreath design, desirable Small Eagle variety, and an impressive NGC MS 63 RB certification.
