The Magyar Nemzeti Bank is issuing a silver collector coin with a face value of HUF 3,000 to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic Games. The collector coin was designed by Balázs Bitó.
The collector coin issued to commemorate the London 2012 Olympics feature flat water kayak-canoe, one of the most successful sports for Hungary in recent history. On the obverse, the value numeral ‘3000’ and the inscription ‘FORINT’ are inscribed around the upper rim of the coin, with the legend ‘MAGYARORSZÁG’ (HUNGARY) inscribed around the lower rim. The mintmark ‘BP.’ and the mint year ‘2012’ are inscribed between the upper and lower legends, on the left and the right sides of the obverse design, respectively. The centre bears a representation of the blades of two kayak paddles set against each other and positioned horizontally, bordered by a broken circular line. The paddle positioned above shows the edge of its blade to the viewer, with the one positioned below showing the face.
The upper legend around the rim on the reverse of the coin reads ‘XXX. NYÁRI OLIMPIAI JÁTÉKOK’ (XXX SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES) and the lower legend reads ‘LONDON’. The centre of the design bears a side view of three female kayakers, bordered by a circular line, holding their paddles in different positions. The centre of the coin is filled with a stylised representation of the surface of water. The initials of designer Balázs Bitó feature below the farthest kayak, on the right.
The silver collector coin is struck in .986 fine silver. It weighs 20 grams and it is 34 mm in diameter and has a reeded edge.
The mintage limit of the silver collector coins is 8,000, of which 5,000 can be produced in proof finish.
The collector coins are sold by the Hungarian Mint. They are available to buy at the coin shop of the Hungarian Mint in the Magyar Nemzeti Bank’s Visitor Centre (8–9 Szabadság tér, Budapest) and on the Mint’s website (www.penzvero.hu), where a number of collector coins produced from gold, silver and non-ferrous metals issued earlier are also on sale.
