Austria: Popular collector series “Reaching for the Sky” continues with second silver Proof coin

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The Mint of Austria has launched (16th October) the second coin in the series entitled “Reaching for the Sky,” which celebrates the pioneers of powered aviation, including pilot Igo Etrich (1879–1967), who broke records in 1910 by flying for 140 kilometres (87 miles) across northern Austria, and Charles Lindbergh (1902–1974), a famed American aviator who became the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927.

Reaching for the Sky celebrates the story of manned flight, with the second coin released in the series highlighting The Advent of Powered Flight. Humans have envied a birds’ ability to fly through the air since the dawn of civilisation. That was until Bohemian aviation pioneer Igo Etrich began basing his designs on the aerodynamics of the seed of a tropical plant called Zanonia macrocarpa, which is found on the island of Java. By observing the instance when these seeds fall to the ground, they generate lift, which slows their descent and helps them remain aloft. By adding a 60-horse power engine to an aircraft with zanonia-shaped wings, Etrich managed to fly his aerodynamic craft named the Dove from Vienna to the northern town of Horn and back. Even more impressive was the 33-hour non-stop solo flight from New York to Paris by a young man named Charles Lindbergh in the Spirit of St. Louis, a fabric-covered, single-engine seater monoplane.

The coins are collectively designed by Mint of Austria artisans and engravers Helmut Andexlinger, Herbert Wähner, Kathrin Kuntner. The obverse side of the coin salutes Lindbergh’s 1927 flight and includes the form of a globe on which a dotted arch links the two cities of New York and Paris, along with Igo Etrich’s Dove craft, which can be seen in the foreground. The denomination of 20 EURO is superimposed on the overall design and is seen towards the lower portion. The coin’s reverse features a Junkers 52, which, despite initial scepticism about its airworthiness (due to its ungainly appearance), became an early stalwart of air passenger transport. The text JUNKERS 52 is shown just under the primary design.

Denom.	Metal	Weight	Diameter	Quality	Maximum Mintage
20 euro	.925 Silver	22.4 g	34 mm	Proof	30,000

Available from the 6th November, each 20-euro silver coin is encapsulated and presented in a custom case, accompanied by a numbered certificate of authenticity.

A specially designed Reaching for the Sky collector case that recreates a retro-classic, leather-look, miniature suitcase which accommodates all four silver coins in this series is available as a separate purchase. In addition to accommodating the four coins, there is a separate space to include the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing coin. For additional information about this coin and others offered by the Mint of Austria, please visit their website.

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