28 May 2020
The Magyar Nemzeti Bank will issue a silver collector coin with a face value of 10,000 forints and its non-ferrous metal version of 2,000 forints, on the 100th anniversary of János Harsányi’s birth, the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics awarded scientist, on 29 May 2020. By issuing this collector coin, the MNB wishes to pay tribute to the renowned researcher of the game theory, who was a co-recipient of the 1994 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences along with two other scientists, John Forbes Nash and Reinhald Selten ‘For his ground-breaking work in the area of non-cooperative game theory and equilibrium analysis'. The collector coins were designed by sculptor Balázs Pelcz.
János Harsányi, a Hungarian Nobel Memorial Prize laureate in Economic Sciences, was born in Budapest on 29 May 1920. His primary field of research was game theory, he was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for the results he achieved in incomplete information games in 1994 as a co-recipient with John Forbes Nash and Reinhard Selten ‘For his ground-breaking work in the area of non-cooperative game theory and equilibrium analysis'. In the field of game theory, they were the first scientists to receive the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. János Harsányi’s game theory results have had impacts on the entire field of economics and people’s everyday lives until today. Its effects on arms control and disarmament and spectrum auctions are still present.
The MNB will issue a silver collector coin of 10,000 forints and its non-ferrous metal version of 2,000 forints named ‘Harsányi János' on the 100th anniversary of the distinguished researcher’s birth. The primary role of collector coins is to offer education and pay tribute, therefore they are not to be used in everyday payments. Their face value serves to preserve the value the coins represent to collectors.
The silver and the non-ferrous metal versions have the same design, with their denominations being the only difference. The collector coins were designed by sculptor Balázs Pelcz.
The central motif on the obverse of the coin is a triangular, endless set of stairs representing a hierarchical structure. A railing breaks the circular line surrounding the central motif on the left, and a ladder emerging from the centre of the stairs on the right. A symbolic representation of Harsányi’s idea, deserving a Nobel Memorial Prize, is shown on the obverse. According to this, he swapped an infinite regression (represented by the set of stairs) with a much simpler phrase (represented by the ladder). The compulsory elements of collector coins are also found on the obverse: on the edge, in the upper legend, the wording ‘MAGYARORSZÁG' (Hungary), is shown and at the bottom the denomination ‘10,000' and the lettering ‘FORINT', to the left, below the representation of the railing, the mint mark ‘BP.', containing a security element, to the right, positioned vertically between the two upright pieces of the ladder the mint year ‘2020' is placed. Visible only when magnified at least 10,000, a microlettering, identical with the specific letter in the mint mark, is shown in the mint mark.
The obverse of the János Harsányi collector coins
 Silver collector coin |
 Non-ferrous metal collector coin |
The thematic side introduces the recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences with a portrait of János Harsányi as the central motif. To the left, the lettering HARSÁNYI, and to the right the wording JÁNOS are placed in an upper arch-shaped legend, while and the two years 1920 – 2000 indicating the birth and the death of the renowned scientist are shown in the lower legend. Below the portrait, the sculptor Balázs Pelcz’ master mark is shown.
The reverse of the János Harsányi collector coins
 Silver collector coin |
 Non-ferrous metal collector coin |
Both collector coins have a diameter of 38.61 mm with reeded edges. The silver coin with a face value of HUF 10,000 is struck in .925 fine silver and weighs 31.46 grams. The non-ferrous metal coin with a face value of HUF 2,000 is produced from an alloy of copper (75%) and nickel (25%) and weighs 30.8 grams. The mintage limit of both the silver collector coin in proof finish and that of the non-ferrous version in BU finish is 5,000.
In order to promote the commemorative and educational role of these collector coins as widely as possible, the silver commemorative coin ‘Harsányi János’ will be available for purchase for three months, while stocks last, and the non-ferrous metal version for one year from the date of issuance, at face value, via the distribution channels of Hungarian Mint Ltd., the producer and the distributor of the coins, in its coin shop (Budapest, distr. V, 7 Báthory street) and its webshop (https://www.penzvero.hu/) starting from 29 May 2020.