There Are
Two Sorts Of Paper Money In The Austrian Dominions.
One is called
Conventions-Muenze (conventional currency), which is fully equivalent to
gold and sliver and cannot be refused
As such throughout the whole of the
Austrian dominions; the other, called Wiener Waehrung (Vienna security) is
current and payable in Austria proper only, and bears a loss, out of the
Archduchy. The value of the Wiener Waehrung fluctuates considerably, but
the usual par of exchange is as 2 to 1: that means, two hundred florins
Wiener Waehrung are equal to one hundred Convenzions-Muenze or gold and
silver money. Even the Convenzions-Muenze bears a loss, tho' trifling, out
of the Imperial Dominions. The exchange has been known to have been at 400
per cent; that is, four hundred florins Wiener Waehrung were only worth
one hundred florins gold and silver; but just now it may be reckoned a
little beyond par, fluctuating from 200 to 220. In fact, the value of a
florin Wiener Waehrung may be calculated at a frank in French money. All
this is exceedingly troublesome to travellers, particularly to those who do
not understand the German language; for as they cannot read the
inscription, it would be difficult for them to know the difference between
one sort of paper money and the other and they might be seriously imposed
upon. I advise therefore all travellers, before they arrive at the Austrian
frontier, whether coming from Bavaria, Saxony, or Italy, to buy up the
Wiener Waehrung notes they may meet with, and which may be purchased at
great profit, probably, beyond the frontier, whereas if they defer
purchasing till they arrive within the Austrian frontier, they can only
procure the Wiener Waehrung at the common rate of exchange current.
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