New 200-forint commemorative circulation coin and particularly large collector coins to mark the bicentenary of Petőfi's birth

11 April 2023

To honour the anniversary of Sándor Petőfi’s birth, the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (hereinafter: MNB) issued a 200-forint commemorative circulation coin on the Day of Hungarian Poetry. At the ceremony held in the Petőfi Literary Museum, a special large silver collector coin of 30,000 forints and its 7,500-forint non-ferrous metal version were released, paying tribute to Petőfi's work. The collector coins also mark the 175th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1848–1849. The 200-forint commemorative circulation coin has been issued for the first time. 1 million pieces will be made of this special coin, while the silver collector coin will be minted in 6,000 pieces and the non-ferrous version in 8,000 pieces. The renewed thematic side of the 200-forint coin was designed by applied artist András Szilos, the obverse of the collector coin by sculptor Zoltán Kovács and the reverse by applied artist Andrea Horváth.

Sándor Petőfi (1823-1849) was a Hungarian poet, revolutionary, a national hero, one of the most iconic figures of Hungarian literature and culture. His poems were translated into the most languages in Hungarian poetry. In his short life, the internationally renowned poet wrote nearly a thousand poems, and was one of the first literary figures who managed to make a living from his writings. He started the concept of the literary icon. As an embodiment of Hungarian Romanticism, he introduced new themes into Hungarian poetry, such as the family poetry, the depiction of the Puszta (Hungarian grasslands) and the idea of a free world. His exceptional popularity was also due to the fact that he used plain language in his works, and incorporated the language of the people into literature. He was one of the leading figures of the ‘Young people of March’, a dominant figure in the 1848-1849 Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence.

To mark the bicentenary of Sándor Petőfi’s birth, the MNB is issuing a 200-forint commemorative circulation coin, as well as a particularly large silver collector coin of 30,000 forints and its 7,500-forint non-ferrous metal version.

A collector version is issued for the first time in the history of the 200-forint circulation coins. The face value side of these special coins is identical to the denomination side of the 200-forint coin currently in circulation, but the thematic side features a modern rasterized representation of Sándor Petőfi’s portrait drawn by Miklós Barabás replacing the usual Chain Bridge design. Inside the beaded border, the lettering ‘MAGYARORSZÁG’ (Hungary) is shown in a legend at the top left with the minting year ‘2023’ appearing horizontally at the bottom right. Below, to the left of the portrait, is the official logo of the Sándor Petőfi- anniversary year, without the trademark.

The 200-forint commemorative circulation coin to honour the bicentenary of Sándor Petőfi’s birth

The thematic side of the coin was designed by applied artist András Szilos. The technical parameters of the coin are identical to the 200-forint bimetal coins in circulation: the outer ring of the coin is made of an alloy of copper (75%), nickel (4%) and zinc (21%), while the inner core is made of copper (75%) and nickel (25%). The outer diameter of the coin is 28.3 mm, with a diameter of 17.9 mm at the junction of the inner and outer sections. The rim is 2 mm thick and the coin weighs 9 grams and its edge is reeded with smooth sections.

There will be 1 million pieces made of the collector version of the 200-forint circulation coin to be issued on the bicentenary. The new commemorative circulation coin will be available for the public trough the cash circulation channels. The MNB will not exchange denominations in its retail cash office. From 12 April 2023 onwards, 12,000 pieces of the 1 million pieces in total will be available for purchase in a serial numbered decorative packaging as first-day mint (in UNC. finish) through the sales channels of the Hungarian Mint. As a collector's item, the new collector version of the 200-forint circulation coins will also be available in a roll of 40 coins at the same place.

In view of the significance of this anniversary, the MNB will also issue a silver collector coin with a face value of 30,000 forints and a non-ferrous version of 7,500 forints in a particularly large size, named ‘Petőfi Sándor és az 1848–49-es forradalom és szabadságharc’ (Sándor Petőfi and the 1848-1849 Revolution and War of Independence). In addition to the bicentenary, the collector coins also focus attention on the 175th anniversary of the start of the 1848–1849 Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence. Their primary role is to commemorate Sándor Petőfi's achievements in literature and his efforts in the revolution, without any role in cash circulation. Featuring the same theme, the silver and non-ferrous metal coins have the same design, the only difference being their denominations.

The ‘Petőfi Sándor és az 1848–49-es forradalom és szabadságharc’ (Sándor Petőfi and the 1848-1849 Revolution and War of Independence) collector coins show the interconnection of Petőfi's literary and revolutionary activities. The central motif on the front features the printing press of the Landerer and Heckenast printing house, which, in addition to the 12 points of the Hungarian Revolutionaries of 1848, also reproduced one of Petőfi's best-known poems, the Nemzeti dal (National Song), an outstanding piece of poetry from the 19th-century Hungary. The edge of the obverse of the coin is interrupted by the page running off the printing press, on which the first two stanzas of the National Song, one of the first products of the free press, are printed. As well as being a true curiosity, the running out to the edge relief vividly captures the poem's idea of independence, which remains relevant to this day.

Referring to the time of the outbreak of the revolution, the year 1848 is hidden in the image of the printing press. The compulsory design elements of collector coins are also placed on the obverse: the inscription ‘MAGYARORSZÁG’, the denominations 30,000 and 7,500 FORINT, the mint mark ‘BP.’ and the mint year ‘2023’, as well as the designer’s mark of sculptor Zoltán Kovács, who designed the obverse.

The obverse of the ‘Petőfi Sándor és az 1848–49-es forradalom és szabadságharc’ collector coins

On the reverse of the collector coin ‘Petőfi Sándor és az 1848–49-es forradalom és szabadságharc’, Petőfi's iconic literary figure takes a leading role, with a quotation that can be interpreted as the poet's credo and the motifs reinforcing it. On the reverse, a portrait of the ‘fiery poet‘ based on an 1846 ink drawing by Miklós Barabás is seen. To the right of the portrait, in two lines, the inscription ‘PETŐFI SÁNDOR’ is shown with a handwritten quotation from his poem ‘A természet vadvirága’ (The Wildflower of Nature): ‘A korláttalan természet Vadvirága vagyok én’ (I am the wildflower of nature without boundaries), which is elegantly decorated with wildflower illustrations surrounding the right edge. On the left edge of the reverse, in a legend, the years 1823-1849 are placed, indicating the years of birth and death of Sándor Petőfi, and hidden in the poet's clothing is the designer’s mark of artist Andrea Horváth, who designed the reverse.

The reverse of the ‘Petőfi Sándor és az 1848–49-es forradalom és szabadságharc’ collector coins

Both collector coins have a diameter of 52.5 mm with a reeded edge. The coin with a face value of 30,000 forints was struck in 925‰ silver and the non-ferrous metal coin with a face value of 7,500 forints is made from an alloy of copper (75%) and nickel (25%). The silver coin weighing 77.76 grams is made in proof finish and the non-ferrous metal coin weighing 76.5 grams in BU finish. The collector coins are issued in limited quantities: 6,000 pieces can be made of the silver coins and 8,000 pieces of the non-ferrous metal version.

In order to promote the roles of these collector coins to transfer value and raise awareness as widely as possible, the silver collector coin ‘Petőfi Sándor és az 1848–49-es forradalom és szabadságharc’ will be available for purchase for three months, while stocks last, and the non-ferrous metal version for one year from the first business day following the date of the issuance, at face value, in the webshop (https://www.penzvero.hu/) of Hungarian Mint Ltd., the producer and the distributor of the coins, and its coinshop (Budapest, distr. V, 7 Báthory street) starting from 12 April 2023.