9 June 2021
The Magyar Nemzeti Bank will issue a collector coin to mark the 150th anniversary of The Prosecution Service of Hungary. The Bank wishes to honour the 150 years of the independent Prosecution Service of Hungary by issuing a 10,000-forint silver collector coin and its non-ferrous metal version of 2,000 forints.
A landmark in the history of Hungarian law was the Act XXXIII of 1871 on the Hungarian royal prosecution. The Act propagates the creation of an institution representing the people’s prosecution, and promotes that the intrinsically different activities of the judiciary, the prosecution and the defence should be separated and handled by entities that are independent of each other. The separation of the activities of the judiciary, the prosecution and the defence and their delegation to separate institutions laid the foundations of the modern Hungarian justice system. The Act was announced on 10 June 1871. The Prosecution Service of Hungary has undergone several changes since then; however, its core duties remained broadly unchanged.
As an independent public institution, the Prosecution Service has a role in the administration of justice, which acts as a public prosecutor in a criminal suit. In addition, it oversees the legality of the investigation, law enforcement, and the operation of public entities and other institutions. This task is also stipulated in Article XXIX of Hungary’s Fundamental Law. The fundamental task of the Prosecution Service has been unchanged for 150 years: ‘representing the state’s interest in the judicial system’ and protecting the law and society.
The MNB will issue a 10,000-forint silver collector coin and its non-ferrous metal version of 2,000 forints to honour the foundation of an independent prosecution service.
The primary function of the ‘Önálló ügyészi szervezet’ (Independent prosecution service) 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 silver and the non-ferrous metal versions are produced with the same design, with their denominations being the only difference. The commemorative coin was designed by applied artist Zoltán Endrődy.
In the centre field surrounded by a circular line, the obverse features a fasces, a stick with a double-edge axe, a symbol of state power originating from the days of the Roman Empire, in a classic representation, which is complemented by a flame motif at the top and a lion’s head holding the scales of justice in its mouth. The scales symbolise fairness and impartiality. The fasces divides the front into two parts, symbolising the separation right from wrong. The central motif is surrounded by a decorative strip composed of paragraph signs around the coin’s edge, broken by the legend ‘MAGYARORSZÁG’ (Hungary) at the bottom. To the left of the stick, in two lines the denominations ‘10 000’ and ‘2000’ and the lettering ‘FORINT’, at the bottom the mint mark ‘BP.’ to the right, the master mark of applied artist, the designer of the coin, Zoltán Endrődy is placed. Visible when magnified at least 10 times, a microlettering, identical with the specific letter in the mint mark, is placed in the mint mark and it also provides protection against counterfeiting. Around the rim of the obverse, closed with a motif of diamond shape, the inscription ‘AZ ÜGYÉSZI SZERVEZET 150 ÉVE AZ IGAZSÁGSZOLGÁLTATÁS KÖZREMŰKÖDŐJE’ (The prosecution service: a partner in justice for 150 years) is shown.
The obverse of the ‘Önálló ügyészi szervezet’ collector coins
 Silver collector coin |
 Non-ferrous metal collector coin |
On the reverse of the collector coins, in a centre field surrounded by a circular line the logo of the Prosecution Service of Hungary is found. The logo serves to formulate the stick, the scales and the double-edge axe in a modern manner on a shield motif. Next to the logo, broken in two lines, on the left the year 1871 refers to the date when the Act establishing the independent prosecution service was announced with the mint year 2021 on the right. This image is surrounded by symbolic “emanating” and “protecting” waves extending to the raised edge of the coin.
A semi-circular legend around the edge features the motto of the Prosecution Service of Hungary, with “TÖRVÉNY ÉS IGAZSÁG” (Law and justice) at the top and “MAGYARORSZÁG ÜGYÉSZSÉGE” (Prosecution Service of Hungary) at the bottom.
The reverse of the ‘Önálló ügyészi szervezet’ collector coins
 Silver collector coin |
 Non-ferrous metal collector coin |
Both collector coins are 38.61 mm in diameter with an edge finely reeded , with the legend ‘LEX ATQUE VERITAS’ – the Latin equivalent of the motto on the back – repeated 4 times, separated by 3 diamonds.
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. 5,000 pieces can be made of the silver collector coin in proof finish and 5,000 pieces of the non-ferrous version in BU finish.
To promote the collector coins' role to transfer value and raise awareness as widely as possible, the ‘Önálló ügyészi szervezet’ silver commemorative coin will be available for purchase for three months from the date of issuance, -while stocks last-, and the non-ferrous metal version for one year at its face value, in the coinshop of Hungarian Mint Ltd., the producer and the distributor of the coins (Budapest, distr. V, 7 Báthory street) and at its webshop (https://www.penzvero.hu/) starting from 9 June 2021.