Hall Mint Museum Turns 50

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Münze Hall, a museum dedicated to the history of the Hall Mint located in Hall in Tirol, Austria. The museum opened in 1975 to celebrate the mint’s hundreds of years of intriguing ups and downs.

The Mint

Duke Sigismund “Der Münzreiche” (“The Rich in Coin”) founded the mint in Hall in 1477. When Emperor Maximilian I came to power in 1490, he used the funds from Hall to finance his policies and wars. He drained the reserves, and the mint closed in 1516.

Decades later, Archduke Ferdinand II revived the mint by moving it to Hasegg Castle (where it remains today). He then introduced roller minting in Hall, making the coining facility one of the most important mints in Europe. Many famous visitors traveled to see the mint in action.

From 1748 to 1768, the Hall Mint struck more than 17 million Maria Theresa talers, which were used all over the world. After this profitable period, the mint declined once more and was closed by 1808. 

The Museum

The historic facility reopened as a museum in 1975 and produced a commemorative coin for the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. The museum was fully renovated in 2003 and was renamed Münze Hall. It features a large exhibition space and regularly produces commemorative issues for companies, special events, and private celebrations. 

Those interested in visiting the museum can book a coin travel package, which includes a two-night stay in the Hall-Wattens region of Austria, an exclusive 2025 niobium 25-euro commemorative coin, a silver commemorative medal, and admission to the mint museum plus a guided tour of the city of Hall. Pricing for this package starts at €234 (US$266). To learn more, visit Münze Hall’s website.

A version of this article appears in the June 2025 issue of The Numismatist (money.org).