{"product_id":"wc-6744-austria-1854a-franz-joseph-i-20-kreuzer-ms63","title":"Austria 1854A Franz Joseph I 20 Kreuzer Brilliant Uncirculated (MS63) $","description":"Austria 1854A Franz Joseph I 20 Kreuzer Brilliant Uncirculated (MS63) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFranz Joseph I of Austria was one of the longest-reigning monarchs in European history, serving as Emperor of Austria from 1848 until his death in 1916 and, after 1867, as King of Hungary as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He ascended the throne at just eighteen years of age during the revolutionary upheavals of 1848 and spent much of his reign trying to preserve the multinational Habsburg Empire in an era of rising nationalism. Known for his discipline, devotion to duty, and conservative outlook, Franz Joseph became a symbol of stability for many of his subjects, even as the empire faced political, military, and social challenges. Under his rule, Austria suffered major setbacks, including defeats in Italy and against Prussia in 1866, which led to the exclusion of Austria from German affairs and forced significant reforms within the empire. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDespite his public image as a steadfast ruler, Franz Joseph's personal life was marked by tragedy. His wife, Empress Elisabeth of Austria—better known as \"Sisi\"—was assassinated in 1898, while his only son and heir, Crown Prince Rudolf, died in the mysterious Mayerling incident in 1889. Later, his nephew and heir presumptive, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914, an event that triggered the outbreak of the World War I. Franz Joseph died in the midst of the war in 1916 after nearly sixty-eight years on the throne. Although he did not live to see the empire's collapse in 1918, his reign came to embody both the grandeur and the final decline of the centuries-old Habsburg monarchy. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eObverse: Portrait of Franz Joseph I facing right, with the legend around. \u003cbr\u003eReverse: Crowned double headed Imperial Eagle with a shield on its breast, with the legend around, the date above, and the denomination below. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSpecifications: \u003cbr\u003eEmperor: Franz Joseph I (1848-1916) \u003cbr\u003eEngraver: Konrad Lange \u003cbr\u003eComposition: 0.900 Silver \u003cbr\u003eWeight: 4.32 g \u003cbr\u003eDiameter: 22 mm \u003cbr\u003eEdge: Plain \u003cbr\u003eDie Axis: ↑↑ \u003cbr\u003eMint: Austrian Mint, Vienna, Austria","brand":"Colonial Acres Coins","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53657791103265,"sku":"WC-6744","price":127.5,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0679\/1744\/7457\/files\/WC-6744.jpg?v=1790876479","url":"https:\/\/www.colonialacres.com\/products\/wc-6744-austria-1854a-franz-joseph-i-20-kreuzer-ms63","provider":"Colonial Acres Coins","version":"1.0","type":"link"}