Austria. Popular New Year’s Silver Coin Celebrates Leap into 2026

First introduced along with the adoption of the Euro currency in 2002, the coin highlights various themes, events associated with New Year celebrations and artwork focusing on this special day. Since their launch, the coins have become favourite items of gift-giving during the holidays.

The theme for Austria’s first commemorative of 2026 is Jump for Joy, which is both a symbol of confidence, renewal, and a reminder for everyone that a new beginning is always possible. From plunging into freezing water, soft snow or taking a real or symbolic leap of faith, people all over the world share the desire to start the new year on the right footing full of joy, anticipation and optimism. The leap embodies courage and a new start, the joy and quiet confidence that something good awaits once we dare to let go.

Every year, people across the globe watch in awe as the world’s finest ski jumpers launch themselves fearlessly into the air at the New Year ski jumping event in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. In Italy, many welcome the New Year with a plunge into a river or the cold sea, often in costume but always with great spirit. In Greece and Cyprus, the waters are blessed on the 6th January, when Orthodox priests cast a cross into the sea and young people dive in after it. For whoever retrieves it first, the year ahead promises to be a particularly fortunate one. Of course, there is no comparison to the anticipation of the ball dropping in New York City. Tens of thousands of tourists as well as locals stake their place in Time’s Square for hours to experience the ultimate moment of pure excitement.

This year’s nine-sided New Year’s coin is designed by the Austrian Mint’s senior artisan Helmut Andexlinger whose design features a child jumping into a puddle of water with joyful abandon and in a playful way. The splashing water droplets turn into four-leaved clovers, hearts and coins – symbols of luck, love and prosperity. Just to the lower right, stylised text reads SPRING INS GLÜCK (jump for joy) along with the year of issue, 2026. The reverse of the coin shows the coats of arms of all nine of the provinces or, federal states of Austria along with the numeral 5 centred. Surrounding the primary design is the text REPUBLIK OSTERREICH and along the lower rim is the currency name EURO.

Available from the 6th December, each selected uncirculated silver coin is presented in a blister-type folder with illustrations and text describing the coin’s motif. The uncirculated copper coins are sold without packaging and are available for their face value. For additional information, please visit the Austrian Mint’s e-webshop.