In 2025, the schilling will celebrate its 100th birthday. For over seven decades, it shaped Austria’s economic life – as official currency, a symbol of stability and a daily companion in people’s wallets. To mark this anniversary, the Austrian National Bank’s Money Museum is dedicating a special exhibition to the ‘Alpine dollar’ entitled ‘Once upon a time… the schilling’.

From a difficult start to a success story

The schilling was introduced in the First Republic on 1 March 1925 and, after the experience of hyperinflation, quickly became the epitome of a hard and stable currency. Following its reintroduction in 1945, it not only accompanied the economic upswing of the Second Republic, but also paved the way for Austria’s entry into the European Union and thus its replacement by the euro.

But despite the introduction of the euro in 2002, the schilling has not completely disappeared, even after 23 years: around 6.8 billion schillings, or approximately 500 million euros, are still lying dormant in secret hiding places, coffee cans, mattresses or drawers belonging to Austrians.

Ten chapters of Austrian monetary history

The exhibition at the Money Museum recounts the highs and lows of this era in ten chapters. On display are historical banknotes and coins, newspaper articles, counterfeits, as well as unrealised designs and curiosities. The exhibition not only illustrates the history of the currency, but also evokes many personal memories, as the schilling was a natural part of everyday life for generations.

Discover the special exhibition ‘Once upon a time … the schilling’ at the OeNB Money Museum via smartphone

The special exhibition at the Money Museum can now also be explored on your mobile phone: together with the Hearonymus app and the audio guide ‘Once upon a time … the schilling’, your smartphone becomes an interactive guide. In 10 chapters, it accompanies visitors from its introduction in the 1920s through times of crisis and the reconstruction phase to the transition to the euro. Together with the exhibition, the audio guide paints a picture of the currency that shaped Austria for almost 80 years.

The app and audio guide can be downloaded to your mobile phone with just a few clicks. The guide can be listened to without restriction and without an internet connection, whether at home or on site. The audio guide ‘Once upon a time … the Schilling’ can be listened to anywhere, as often as you like. The app can be downloaded free of charge from the App Store or Google Play. The audio guide is also available free of charge on Hearonymus, and admission to the Money Museum is free.