The 1770s Austrian billon issues were a direct consequence of the Seven Years' War's devastating toll on Habsburg finances. Maria Theresia's treasury had been systematically debased since the 1750s, and by the time this denomination was struck, the silver content had been reduced to the point where billon was the only economically viable option for small change. The Vienna mint ran multiple die marriages across this span, accounting for the Her. 1288–1290 range.
The 1770s Austrian billon issues were a direct consequence of the Seven Years' War's devastating toll on Habsburg finances. Maria Theresia's treasury had been systematically debased since the 1750s, and by the time this denomination was struck, the silver content had been reduced to the point where billon was the only economically viable option for small change. The Vienna mint ran multiple die marriages across this span, accounting for the Her. 1288–1290 range.