The One Schilling coin (abbreviated as 1S or S 1) was the main circulating denomination of the Austrian Schilling, which was restored as the currency of the Republic of Austria when the republic itself was restored after World War II in 1945. Between 1947 and 1952, coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 groschen; and 1, 2, and 5 schilling were introduced. This first type of 1 Schilling was struck in aluminium (98.5% aluminium, 1.5% magnesium), but this was changed to a second type of 1 Schilling in aluminium bronze in 1959.
Both the reverse and the obverse are designed by Michael Powolny. The reverse depicts a naked sower with a seed bag across his shoulder, spreading seeds in a field. The figure is from the 1921 painting by Albin Egger-Lienz entitled "The Sower and the Devil", which illustrates the parable from the Gospel of Matthew - 13:24-30, 36-43. In the parable, a farmer sows good seeds in a field, but then Satan comes and sows weeds after him. Interestingly, the figure on the coin seems to be the one depicting the devil in the painting.
The One Schilling coins made from aluminium were demonetised on 2 May 1961.
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| Obverse | |
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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 below, divided by the eagle's tail, the date of issue: 1947, |
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