June 28, 2012 – In 2012, the Summer Games of the 30th Olympiad will take place between 27 July and 12 August. The event is being held in London, the first city in modern Olympic history to host the summer games on three occasions (after 1908 and 1948).
The Magyar Nemzeti Bank joined the international collectors’ programme of commemorative Olympic coins in 1980 and has regularly issued commemorative coins for every Summer Olympics since 1984. In 2012, in addition to the traditional silver coin, the Bank is honouring the 30th Summer Olympic Games in London with a 0.5 gram gold coin, which is also one of the world’s smallest gold coins. Both coins feature one of Hungary’s most successful disciplines in recent times, the kayak and canoe sprint on still water, in which Hungarian athletes have won 19 gold medals, 27 silver medals and 25 bronze medals in the modern Olympic Games.
Hungary / 5,000 HUF / .999 gold / 0.5 g / 11.00 mm / Design: Andrea Horváth / Mintage: 10,000 (proof-like).
The gold coin being part of the series “The smallest gold coin of the world” designed by Andrea Horváth depicts a male canoe paddler, …
Hungary / 3,000 HUF / .925 silver / 20.00 g / 34.00 mm / Design: Balazs Bitó / Mintage: 3,000 (BU) and 5,000 (proof).
… while the silver coin designed by Balázs Bitó features three female kayak paddlers. The distinctive form of a kayak paddle can be seen on the front of both coins. The BU silver collector coin is only available packed into a special brilliant uncirculated mint set, which contains legal tender circulation coins minted with year date 2012.
For more information, please visit the website of the Central Bank of Hungary.