21 October 2020
The Magyar Nemzeti Bank will issue silver collector coin named ‘Állami Számvevőszék' (State Audit Office of Hungary) with a denomination of 10,000 forint and its non-ferrous metal version of 2000 forint to honour the 150th anniversary of the institution’s establishment and the 30 years of a relaunched audits by the State Audit Office. The State Audit Office is the Parliament’s chief financial and economic supervisory body. Its main duty is to facilitate of the compliant, economical, efficient and effective use of public money.
The first separate state audit office in Hungary was established in 1870 and it was named Hungarian Supreme Royal Audit Office. At the beginning of the 20th century, SSAO audited the management of public funds and public property as an independent organisation from the government with its own separate competences. During the turnaround in politics following World War II, it was dissolved by a decree in 1949.
After 40 years, the organisation was re-created, officially from 1 January 1990, by the 23 October 1989 modification to the Fundamental Law after the Third Hungarian Republic was proclaimed. In line with the provisions in the Fundamental Law, the SAO performs its duties mandated by law for the benefit of Hungarian society. Its mission is to facilitate the transparency of public money matters by conducting value-adding audits resting on firm professional fundamentals and pursuing comprehensive educational activities.
The MNB will issue a silver collector coin named Állami Számvevőszék with the denomination of 10,000 forint and its non-ferrous metal version of 2000 forint to mark the 150the anniversary of the organisation, and the 30th anniversary of the relaunch of independent audits Carried out by the Office. The primary role of collector coins is to offer education 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 obverse of the Állami Számvevőszék collector coins, in the centre field, features a portion of the former Hungarian Supreme Royal Audit Office viewed from the Bem embankment. Thee compulsory elements of collector coins are placed in the outer ring: in the upper legend the lettering ‘MAGYARORSZÁG' with the denominations ‘10,000 FORINT' and ‘2000 FORINT', in the middle axis on the left, the mint mark ‘BP.' and on the right, the mint year ‘2020'. The master mark of sculptor Balázs Pelcz, who designed the coin, is hidden in the central motif in the representation of a window at the bottom right.
The obverse of the Állami Számvevőszék collector coins
 Silver collector coin |
 Non-ferrous metal collector coin |
The central motif on the reverse of the Állami Számvevőszék collector coins shows the official logo of the State Audit Office. The logo symbolises continuity, uninterrupted development and it displays the ability of the modern age to adapt to the challenges posed by digitalisation. The central motif is bordered by an outer ring on an elevated plane, featuring the values the State Audit Office upholds in four lines (TÖRVÉNYESSÉG, ÁTLÁTHATÓSÁG, ELSZÁMOLTATHATÓSÁG, KÖZÉLET TISZTASÁGA, EREDMÉNYESSÉG, HATÉKONYSÁG, CÉLSZERŰSÉG) (legitimacy, transparency, accountability, purity of public life, effectiveness, efficiency, expediency) in the form of a lettering in capitals and hexadecimal codes.
The repeated ‘ÁLLAMI SZÁMVEVŐSZÉK 1870 ? 1990 ? 2020 ?' in an inscription on the edge refers to the double anniversary.
The reverse of the Állami Számvevőszék collector coins
 Silver collector coin |
 Non-ferrous metal collector coin |
In order to promote the commemorative and educational role of these collector coins as widely as possible, the silver commemorative coin ‘Állami Számvevőszék’ 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, in the coin shop of Hungarian Mint Ltd., the producer and the distributor of the coins (Budapest, distr. V, 7 Báthory street) and its webshop (https://www.penzvero.hu/) starting from 21 October 2020.Both collector coins have a diameter of 38.61 mm with finely 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 30.80 grams. The mintage limit of both the silver collector coin in proof finish and that of the non-ferrous version in BU finish is 4000, each.