Palau has issued commemorative silver under its own authority since 1992, despite having no domestic silver mining and conducting almost all real commerce in U.S. dollars. The Schönbrunn series taps the enduring collector appetite for Habsburg iconography — the palace served as the primary summer residence of the Habsburg court from the reign of Leopold I and was substantially expanded under Maria Theresa in the 1740s and 1750s.
UNESCO added Schönbrunn to its World Heritage List in 1996, which predictably accelerated its appearance on collector coinage worldwide.
Palau has issued commemorative silver under its own authority since 1992, despite having no domestic silver mining and conducting almost all real commerce in U.S. dollars. The Schönbrunn series taps the enduring collector appetite for Habsburg iconography — the palace served as the primary summer residence of the Habsburg court from the reign of Leopold I and was substantially expanded under Maria Theresa in the 1740s and 1750s.
UNESCO added Schönbrunn to its World Heritage List in 1996, which predictably accelerated its appearance on collector coinage worldwide.