Austrian Mint's Fourth Mythical Creatures Coin Features the Basilisk, Issued September 2026
On September 7, 2026, Spain's Numismática Visual reported that the Austrian Mint would issue a 3-euro basilisk coin on September 9 as the fourth coin in its Mythical Creatures series. The reverse shows a mirror from a Vienna legend, and the colors change under UV light. The cupronickel coin is 34 mm, limited to 65 thousand pieces, with an issue price of €16.80.
Correction (Oct 13, 2026): We corrected the headline, summary and body to match the source. We fixed the claim that the issue date, mintage, price and design were unpublished, which the source does give; removed unsupported statements about collector demand and secondary-market prices; and dropped wording that linked this modern coin to antique coins. The previous headline was "Austrian Mint Mythical Creatures Series: Basilisk Coin Launch Reshapes Thematic Numismatic Demand."
This article is based on a report published on September 7, 2026, by the Spanish coin news site Numismática Visual. The coin described is a modern 3-euro coin from the Austrian Mint.
The fourth coin in the Austrian Mint's "Mythical Creatures" series features the basilisk. It follows the Troll, the Hippocampus and the Elf, and the source said it would be issued on September 9, 2026. The series covers twelve creatures from different myths and legends, shown with color printing and inks that change appearance under ultraviolet (UV) light.
The legend
According to the source, the name basilisk comes from the Greek basilískos and can be translated as "little king." One of the oldest descriptions appears in Pliny the Elder's Natural History, which presents it as a highly venomous snake with a white crown-like mark on its head; its only natural enemy was the weasel. In the Middle Ages it came to be shown with the head and wings of a rooster, the legs of a toad and a long serpent's tail.
Vienna has its own legend. Linked to the building at Schönlaterngasse 7, it says that on June 26, 1212, a strange creature was found inside the well of the baker Martin Garhiebl. After several people died or disappeared when they approached, an apprentice went down into the well with a mirror. When the monster saw its own reflection, it was struck by the power of its own gaze and defeated.
Design
The reverse shows the basilisk in color, with a rooster's head and wings, a toad's legs and a serpent's tail. At lower left is a mirror framed by a gold ornamental motif, a reference to the Vienna legend. The year 2026 and the inscription "BASILISK" complete the design.
The obverse carries the common design of the series: a magic key with the letter "F," for fantasy, and the outline of a sun.
Under UV light, the basilisk's colors change to strong reds and greens, its eyes glow and a venomous breath appears to come from its mouth.
Specifications
The source lists the following specifications:
- Denomination: 3 euros - Metal: copper alloy (cupronickel) - Quality: uncirculated - Diameter: 34 mm - Weight: 16 g - Designers: Rebecca Koini, Anna Schlindner and Nina Schwarzer - Issue date: September 9, 2026 - Maximum mintage: 65 thousand pieces - Issue price: €16.80
The mint also sells an official UV flashlight for the series. The twelve coins can be stored in an official illustrated album created by Thomas Brezina, in which each coin fits into a chapter of a story with riddles, hidden clues and coded messages.
Source: Numismática Visual, "Criaturas Míticas – Cuarta moneda de la serie: El Basilisco, el rey de las serpientes" (September 7, 2026).
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