April 12, 2012 – Hungary’s first two silver commemorative coins of 2012, a 5,000 forint and a 3,000 forint, have been released by Magyar Nemzeti Bank (the National Bank of Hungary). According to the new Basic Law (Constitution) of Hungary, the legend on coins Hungarian Republic shall be replaced by Hungary (MAGYARORSZÁG). This means that new legal tender circulation coins will be struck with the modified description. Other design elements of the circulation coins remain unchanged. As the old currency also remains valid, no mass production will be started right at the beginning of 2012. To ensure however, that collectors could have the whole series of each denomination with the new legend, a “first-day-mint” mint set has been launched at 6th January in 12,000 pcs in UNC condition.
Hungary / 3000 HUF / Silver 925 / 34.00 mm / 20.00 g / Design: Eniko Szollossy / Mintage: 2,000 pcs (BU) and 4,000 pcs (Proof).
The Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Central Bank of Hungary) issues a silver collector coin to the occasion of the publishing of Imre Madach’s work: The Tragedy of Man. This is Madach’s most famous work, an enduring classic of Hungarian literature, which has become an iconic piece of Hungarian playwriting. The coin designed by Eniko Szollossy depicts Adam and Eve, while the figure of Lucifer arises behind them, as if growing from the ground, encompassing the humans.
Hungary / 5000 HUF / Silver 925 / 38.61 mm / 31.46 g / Design: Mihaly Fritz / Mintage: 6,000 pcs (Proof).
At the end of January, the Hungarian issue to the Europa Silver collector programme appeared. As the common topic of the programme featured by the Euro-Star logo is “European Artists”, the Hungarian issue celebrates the 125th birth anniversary of Jozsef Remenyi, who is a sculptor, artist and one of the founders of the Hungarian art of medals. His numerous fine traced pieces of coins, medals, statues bear the mark of the modern classicism and Art-Nouveau. Among others, he designed the former 5, 10, 20 and 50 filler small change of the Hungarian forint currency system. The obverse of the coin depicts part of a plaque of Remenyi, called the Danaids, created in 1927; the reverse shows the portrait of the artist.
For more information on the Hungarian Mint, official distributor of the Central Bank of Hungary, please click here.