5 Euros New Year: Concert of Philharmonic Orchestra

Austria's "Special Euro" series, of which this is a part, was designed specifically to compete with the gift and collector market that had long been dominated by commemorative banknotes and medals. The Philharmonic concert issue draws on the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's concert, broadcast annually to over 90 countries — one of the most-watched classical music events on earth. The copper composition was a deliberate cost-reduction measure, keeping retail price accessible while maintaining the 28.5 mm format familiar to the bullion Philharmonic series.