Five Groschen, Coin Type from Austria - detailed information

Within a plain border, the obverse of the coin features the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Austria, which is an eagle with open wings, crowned with a mural crown (representing a state, and not a monarch), holding a hammer in its left foot (right from the point of view of the viewer) and a sickle in its right foot. Its feet are in shackles, but the chain between them is broken, symbolising a liberated Austria.

On the eagle's breast, the shield of Austria divided into three horizontal stripes representing the national flag, with "heraldic hatching" (thin lines) indicating the colours: red-white-red.

Around the rim, the inscription REPUBLIK · ÖSTERREICH · (Republic of Austria).

The reverse shows at its centre a large numeral 5 for the value; around above, the name of the denomination: · GROSCHEN ·.

Below the value, the date of issue: [year].

Around below, a floral decoration of edelweiss flowers.

Due to the scarcity of coin blanks, some of the first coins struck between 1947 and 1950 were overstamped on war-time German pfennigs of the same size (1, 5 or 10 Groschen on 1, 5 or 10 Pfennigs respectively), and in some cases details of the host coin are still visible.