SILVER COINS. The silver coins are the Ruble, worth 3s. 2d.; the Poltinnick of 50 copecks, worth 1s. 7d. sterling; the Tchetwertak of 25 copecks, worth 94d. sterling; the Dwougriwenny of 20 copecks, worth 73d. sterling; the Griwennick of 10 copecks, worth 3d. sterling; and the Priatachek of 5 copecks, worth 1d. sterling. The silver coins are of the standard of 83 parts of pure silver and 12 alloy, and each ruble contains 405 dolis of fine silver, 61 dolis of alloy, and weighs 4 zolotnicks 82 COPPER COINS. dolis. The copper coins are the 5 Copeck Piece, worth 1d. sterling; the 3 Copeck Piece, worth 1d. sterling; the 2 Copeck Piece, worth d. sterling; the 1 Copeck Piece, worth d. sterling; theCopeck Piece, worth 1d. sterling; and the Copeck Piece, worthd. sterling. The 5 copeck piece weighs 6 zolotnicks; the 3 copeck piece weighs 3 zolotnicks 57% dolis; the 2 copeck piece weighs 2 zolotnicks 38 dolis, and the other copper coins in like proportion. == = Besides these coins there are also some old coins in circulation which have not been withdrawn, viz., in gold the Imperial 10.30 rubles of the same standard of purity as the half-imperial. In silver the 14 Ruble Piece, the 30 Copeck Piece, and the Piatialtynny 15 copecks. In copper the Grivna, formerly equal to 10 copecks, but now possessing the nominal value of 3 copecks; the Piatak, formerly equal to 5 copecks, now nominally worth 1 copecks; the Grosch, formerly equal to 2 copecks, now nominally worth copeck; and the Copeck, now nominally worth copeck. The average course of exchange with London is about 3s. 1d. per silver ruble. APPROXIMATE VALUE OF ENGLISH MONEY EXCHANGED INTO RUSSIAN MONEY AT 3S. 2D. PER SILVER RUBle. Austrian value. 100 New Kreuzers = AUSTRIA. Systematic name. Approximate English value. 1 New Florin = The Florin is the chief denomination of money of account in Austria. The currency is now based upon what is called the 45 Florin Standard, that, namely, in which a new metric pfund of 500 grammes of fine silver is coined into 45 new florins. The florin is equal to 2 French francs, or to 1s. 114d. sterling. Silver is the standard precious metal used in the currency. SILVER COINS. The silver coins are the Double Thaler and the Thaler, of the Zollverein Union, equal to 3 florins and 1 florins respectively (i. e., to 5s. 10d. and 2s. 11d. sterling); the 2 Florin Piece, worth 3s. 103d. sterling; and the Florin, worth 1s. 11fd. sterling; the Florin, worth 5d.; the 10 and 5 Kreuzer Pieces, worth respectively 2d. and 1d. sterling; and the 1 Kreuzer Piece, worth d. sterling. GOLD COINS. The gold coins are the Crown of 13 florins, worth £1 6s.; and the Half-crown of 6% florins worth 10s. 3d. sterling. COPPER COINS. The copper coin is the Kreuzer, a little less in value than an English farthing, (d.) PAPER MONEY (Wiener Währung). Practically the chief medium of exchange is a paper currency consisting of Bank Notes of 5, 10, 100, and 1,000 florins, which the National Bank undertakes to exchange on demand for specie at their full nominal value. The paper money fluctuates in value from day to day, and is generally at a discount. Venetia is the only province of the empire in which the new silver florin is in circulation, the paper florin being used everywhere else. Strangers in Austria should change their money for South German thalers and new gold crowns, as these pass current in Austria and all over Germany. The old value of Austrian money was called the Convention or 20 Florin Standard. It was introduced in 1753, in accordance with a Convention between Austria and Bavaria. By that Convention a Cologne mark, weight Hamburg standard, of fine silver (3608 grains Troy) was coined into 20 florins. This continued to be the value of the currency of Austria till 1858. In that year the coinage was altered, and the 45 Florin value, with its decimal divisions, was introduced, and 105 of the new florins were made equal to 100 of the old ones. The following coins of the old 20 florin standard, still in circulation, can be exchanged for the new currency at the undermentioned rates : The average course of exchange with London is about 12 florins per £1 sterling, VALUE OF ENGLISH MONEY EXCHANGED INTO 1 New Kreuzers 5s. =2 10s. 174 £1 6d. = 25 £5 ", 579 =5 142 =10 284 =51 429 1s. = 512 £10 = = 102,, 2s. 1 florin 29 1028 Florins 574 New Kreuzers 100 New Florins £9 14s. 5d. sterling. GERMANY. The Monetary Convention concluded at Vienna (January, 1857) between all the states of Germany except Mecklenburgh, Hamburg, Bremen and Lubec, fixed the basis of a uniform money system for the whole of Germany. This basis is the new pound Zöllpfund, or Münzpfund, equal to 500 French Grammes, or 7716 Troy Grains. For AUSTRIA the Zöllpfund of fine silver is coined into 45 new Florins. This is called the 45 Florin Basis or New Austrian Value. For NORTH GERMANY the Zöllpfund of fine silver is coined into 30 Thalers. This is called North German Value, or the 30 Thaler Basis. For SOUTH GERMANY the Zöllpfund of fine silver is coined into 52 Florins. This is called the 52 Florin Basis, or South German Value. A North German Thaler is equal to 11⁄2 Austrian Florins, or to 1 South German Florins. As fractional coins of this system there are pieces of and Thaler (North German Value), and Florin (Austrian Value), and and Florin (South German Value). As a matter of convenience in the daily transactions of trade and commerce, the Convention authorised the issue of gold pieces called the Crown and the Half-crown of the Union. The Union gold Crown is equal in value to th and the Half-crown to 3th of the Zöllpfund of fine gold. There is no fixed rate at which these coins must be received in payment, so their value rises and falls with the price of gold. Unless they are of the full weight they are not taken, either at the Treasury or in ordinary payments. NORTH GERMANY, OR NORTH *ZOLLVEREIN THE KINGDOMS OF PRUSSIA, SAXONY, AND HANOVER, ELECTORATE OF HESSE, GRAND DUCHEY OF SAXONY, DUCHIES OF SAXE-ALTENBURG, SAXE GOTHA, BRUNSWICK, OLDENBURG, WITH BIRKENFELD, ANHALT-DESSAU-GOTHA, AND ANHALT - BERNBURG, AND THE PRINCIPALITIES OF SCHWARTZBURG-SONDERHAUSEN AND SCHWARTZBURGRUDOLSTADT, WALDECK, AND PYRMONT, REUSS (elder branch), REUSS (younger branch), SCHAUMBURG-LIPPE AND LIPPE. The gold coins are the Frederic-d'or, of 5 Thalers, 20 Silber Groschen, worth 16s. 6d.; the Double Frederic-d'or, of 11 Thalers, 10 Silber Groschen, worth £1 13s. 03d. sterling; the Half-Fredric-d'or, of 2 Thalers, 25 Silber Groschen, worth 8s. 34d. sterling; the Union Crown, equal to 9 Thalers, 6 Silber Groschen, worth £1 6s. 10d. sterling; the Union Half-crown, equal to 4 Thalers, 18 Silber Groschen, and worth 13s. 5d. sterling; the Pistole of Denmark, Hanover, and Brunswick, equal to 5 Thalers 15 Silber Groschen, worth 16s. Od. sterling; the Double Pistole of Denmark, Hanover, and Brunswick, equal to 11 Thalers, and worth £1 12s. 1d. sterling. SILVER COINS. worth 2s. 11d. sterling; the Thaler, or piece of 10 Silber Thaler, or piece of 5 Silber The silver coins are the Thaler, Double Thaler, worth 5s. 10d.; the Groschen, worth 113d. sterling; the Groschen, worth 55d. sterling; the piece of 2 Silber Groschen *The Zollverein (customs-union) is a league of the states of Germany, formed in 1833, for assimilating, uniting, and simplifying the fiscal arrangements of the several states of Germany. It came into operation on the 1st January, 1834. It abolished all restrictions on internal communication, established a common system of duties on exports and imports, and provided for a common sytem of money, weights, and measures. It now embraces almost all the states of Germany, except Oldenburg and the Hanse Towns. |