19 October 2020
The Magyar Nemzeti Bank will issue a silver collector coin with a face value of 10,000 forint and its non-ferrous metal version of 2,000 forint to honour the Constitutional Court of Hungary and the 30th anniversary of its establishment. The Constitutional Court of Hungary is one of the crucial institutions of the democratic political transition in 1989-1990, and the revolution bringing into being the rule of law. Its key duty is to protect the rule of law and individual fundamental rights.
As the key institution to protect the Fundamental Law, the Constitutional Court of Hungary commenced its operation on 1 January 1990. Its duty is to protect the democratic rule of law, constitutional order and the fundamental rights provided in the Fundamental Law, to maintain the internal harmony of the legislative system and to ensure the separation of powers. Its most important competence is to remedy violations of the Constitution resulting from legislation or court decisions, based on a complaint by the Constitutional Court and the subsequent investigation into the compliance of legislative acts with the Fundamental Law. If a statue or a court ruling is against the Fundamental Law or it violates it, the Constitutional Court of Hungary nullifies it.
The MNB will issue a silver collector coin with a face value of 10,000 forint and its non-ferrous metal version of 2,000 forint to honour the Constitutional Court of Hungary and the 30th anniversary of its establishment. The primary role of collector coins is to educate and raise awareness, 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 coin was designed by the artist Balázs Bitó.
On the obverse of the Alkotmánybíróság (Constitutional Court of Hungary) collector coins, in the centre, the representation of the chain worn by members of the Constitutional Court is shown with a medallion forming the stamp on the Aranybulla (the Golden Bull of 1222). The asymmetric placement of the chain in the design are complemented by the compulsory elements: On the edge of the coin, in the upper legend, to the left the ‘10,000’ and the ‘2000’ denomination and the lettering ‘FORINT’ are found. At the bottom, on the right, aligned to the edge, the wording ‘MAGYARORSZÁG’ (Hungary) with the mint mark ‘BP.’ and the mint year ‘2020’ are placed in two lines. The master mark of applied artist Balázs Bitó, the coin’s designer, is located to the left of the representation of the stamp. The surface of the obverse with an added, slight ripple effect makes reference to the robe judges wear.
The obverse of the Alkotmánybíróság collector coins
 Silver collector coin |
 Non-ferrous metal collector coin |
The reverse features a part of an authentic copy of the Aranybulla (the Golden Bull of 1222) from 1318 in the right field. Originally issued by Andrew II of Hungary in 1222, the edict is an outstanding reminiscence in the history of Hungarian law, the symbol of Hungarian historic constitution. To the left of the representation, in two lines adjusted vertically to the text the letterings ‘ALKOTMÁNYBÍRÓSÁG’ (Constitutional Court of Hungary) and ‘AZ ALAPTÖRVÉNY LEGFŐBB ŐRE’ (the chief guardian of the Constitution) formulate an expression of guarding the Constitution, which is the main objective of the Court. On the edge of the collector coin, the year 1990, placed next to the letter ‘T’ from the lettering ‘ALKOTMÁNYBÍRÓSÁG’, refers to the establishment of the Constitutional Court of Hungary. The reverse of the coin was treated with a surface resembling parchment.
The edge inscription reads ‘CURIA CONSTITUTIONALIS SUPREMUS PROTECTOR CONSTITUTIONIS EST •’ and it repeats the words placed on the reverse in Latin.
The reverse of the Alkotmánybíróság collector coins
 Silver collector coin |
 Non-ferrous metal collector coin |
Both collector coins have a diameter of 38.61 mm with a reeded edge. The silver coin with a face value of 10,000 forint is struck in .925 fine silver and weighs 31.46 grams. The non-ferrous metal coin with a face value of 2,000 forint is produced from an alloy of copper (75%) and nickel (25%) and weighs 30.8 grams. 4,000 pieces can be made of the silver collector coin in proof finish and 4,000 pieces of the non-ferrous version in BU finish.
In order to promote the commemorative and educational role of these collector coins as widely as possible, the silver commemorative coin ‘Alkotmánybíróság’ will be available for purchase for three months, while stocks last, and the non-ferrous metal version for one year from the date of the issuance, at face value, at the coin shop of Hungarian Mint Ltd., the producer and the distributor of the coins, 7 Báthory u., distr. V, Budapest and the company’s webshop (https://www.penzvero.hu/) starting from 4 May 2019.