Coin issuance to mark the occasion of the XXXIII Summer Olympic and the XVII Paralympic Games

6 May 2024, Budapest

On the Hungarian Sports Day, the Magyar Nemzeti Bank will issue a silver collector coin with a face value of 15,000 forints and its non-ferrous metal version with a denomination of 3,000 forints, named ‘XXXIII. Nyári Olimpiai és XVII. Nyári Paralimpiai Játékok’ (XXXIII Summer Olympic Games and XVII Paralympic Games) to mark the occasion of the world’s most significant sporting event. The MNB has been issuing collector coins in connection with the five-ring games since 1980, but on recent occasions has issued ‘joint’ commemorative coins featuring both the Olympics and the Paralympics. This year’s collector coin, made in part to celebrate the achievements of Hungarian sportsmen and sportswomen, was designed by applied artist Zoltán Endrődy.

In 2024, Paris will host the XXXIII Olympiad and the XVII Paralympic Games. The French capital is the second city to host the Summer Olympics for the third time and the Summer Paralympics for the first time. During the 128-year history of the modern Summer Olympics, the Hungarian Olympic Team has won a total of 525 medals, including 184 gold medals, thereby occupying the distinguished 8th place on the all-time Olympic Games medal tally. At the XXXIII Summer Olympic Games, 10,500 athletes from over 200 countries will compete in a total of 329 events in 32 sports. The Hungarian team is expected to be represented by around 190 athletes at the Paris Games.

Similar to the Tokyo Paralympics, the best athletes will compete in 22 sports for medals in Paris, although in 549 events this time. So far, Hungarian para-athletes have won 160 medals at the Paralympic Games. Based on preliminary surveys, Hungary hopes to ‘achieve its all-time best results with its all-time largest team’, a team of over 50 athletes.

The primary role of the collector coins named ‘XXXIII. Nyári Olimpiai és XVII. Nyári Paralimpiai Játékok’ is to transfer value and draw attention to excellent sports achievements. Their use in everyday payment transactions should be avoided. The face value displayed on the collector coins is meant to preserve their collector’s value.

The silver and the non-ferrous metal versions will be issued with the same coin design. Only their denominations will be different. In the spirit of equality, integration and inclusion, the central bank wishes to convey the message of ‘united team – one country’.

The obverse of the collector coins shows the modern representation of four sports: hammer throw, canoeing, swimming and para-table tennis. It is in these sports that Hungarian teams have the greatest chances of winning medals. The abstract figures representing the sports are depicted equally, with the same weighting, whether they be able-bodied or para-athletes. The genders are also represented equally, as the XXXIII Summer Olympic Games and XVII Paralympic Games are the first events where an equal number of male and female athletes will compete. The horizontal lines that become more numerous closer to the figures simultaneously express the dynamism of the sports and represent ripples of water. The compulsory design elements of collector coins are placed on the obverse: in a prominent place, in the upper legend, is the inscription ‘MAGYARORSZÁG’ (Hungary), while the mint year ‘2024’ is positioned at the bottom. Almost hidden in the coin design, on the left side of the horizontal middle axis is the mint mark ‘BP’, while the right side shows the denominations ’15 000’ and ‘3000’ and the inscription ‘FORINT’ along the edge. The designer’s mark of applied artist Zoltán Endrődy is positioned on the right edge of the coin, near a canoe paddle.

The obverse of the ‘XXXIII. Nyári Olimpiai és XVII. Nyári Paralimpiai Játékok’ collector coins

The reverse shows an abstract top view of a stadium, with the logos of the Hungarian Olympic and the Hungarian Paralympic Team in the middle. As on the obverse, this static image is made dynamic by the lines that become more numerous towards the middle, symbolizing the fans, and in a broader sense, the professional and social bases behind the athletes. The inscription ‘MAGYAR OLIMPIAI ÉS PARALIMPIAI CSAPAT’ (Hungarian Olympic and Paralympic Team) is seen in the upper legend, and the host of the Summer Games makes an appearance via the inscription on the bottom saying ‘Párizs’ (Paris).

The reverse of the ‘XXXIII. Nyári Olimpiai és XVII. Nyári Paralimpiai Játékok’ collector coins

Both collector coins are 37 mm in diameter and their edges are reeded. The collector coin with a face value of 15,000 forints is struck in .925 silver, weighing 24 grams. The non-ferrous metal version of 3,000 forints is produced from an alloy of copper (75%) and nickel (25%) and weighs 23.7 grams. 5,000 pieces can be made of the silver collector coin in proof finish and 7,000 pieces of the non-ferrous metal version in BU finish.

In order to promote the role of these collector coins to raise awareness as widely as possible, the silver coin ‘XXXIII. Nyári Olimpiai és XVII. Nyári Paralimpiai Játékok’ will be available for purchase for three months, while stocks last, and the non-ferrous version for one year from the date of issuance, at face value in the webshop (https://www.penzvero.hu/) and coin shop of the Hungarian Mint Ltd. (Budapest, distr. V, 7 Báthory street), the producer and the distributor of the coins, starting from 7 May 2024.