12 July 2024
The Magyar Nemzeti Bank is issuing a non-ferrous collector coin with a face value of 3,000 forints called ‘50 éves a Rubik-kockaTM’ (50 years of Rubik’sTM Cube) on 13 July 2024, on the 80th birthday of Ernő Rubik Jr., the man who dreamt up and created the logical puzzle. The collector coin’s focus is on the globally popular puzzle, and it presents the creation’s operating principle. The collector coin was designed by metal artist András Szilos.
Originally patented under the name Magic Cube on 31 December 1977, the three-dimensional, mechanical puzzle was developed in the spring of 1974 by Ernő Rubik Jr. The creator soon realized that this learning aid – also excellent for demonstrating spatial movement – has the potential of an exciting game which is simple and complex, individual and social at the same time. The description of the patent reads as follows: ‘The essence of the invention lies in the fact the 27 parts that make up the large cube can be rearranged into new positions without disassembling the large cube. To achieve this, a single homologous operation is necessary: the rotation of one of the nine small cubes composing any side of the large cube’.
Following the renaming of the logical puzzle in the 1980’s, the Rubik’s® Cube conquered the world in barely a few years under its new name. The first Rubik’s® Cube tournament was held on 5 June 1982; since 2003, it has been organised biannually. The Rubik’s® Cube is considered to be one of the greatest and most successful Hungarian inventions. Its unwavering popularity is proven by the fact that its worldwide sales exceed 500 million.
On 13 July 2024, the Magyar Nemzeti Bank is issuing a non-ferrous metal collector coin named ’50 éves a Rubik-kockaTM’ with a face value of 3,000 forints on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Rubik’s® Cube as well as the 80th anniversary of Ernő Rubik Jr’s birth. The primary role of the collector coins is to transfer value and to raise awareness. They are not to be used in everyday payments. The face value displayed on the collector coins is meant to preserve their value to collectors.
The obverse of the coin features the representation of the Rubik’s® Cube; its well-known colours are symbolised by heraldic stripes. The obverse contains the compulsory design elements of collector coins: aligned to the left side is the inscription ‘MAGYARORSZÁG’ (HUNGARY); aligned to the lower part of the right side is the denomination ‘3000’ and the inscription ‘FORINT’. To the left of the horizontal symmetrical axis, the mint mark ‘BP.’ is seen, while on its right is the mint year ‘2024’.
The reverse of the coin features the representation of the inner structure of the Rubik’s® Cube; underneath, aligned to the obverse’s lower right and left sides, the inscription ‘RUBIK-KOCKA’ (RUBIK’S CUBE) is placed. Inserted into the right side is the Hungarian version of the Rubik’s® Cube logo of Spin Master Toys UK Limited, designed for the anniversary. The company also owns the rights to the Rubik’s® Cube. The lower peak bears the designer’s mark of designer András Szilos.
The ’50 éves a Rubik-kockaTM’ collector coin
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Obverse |
Reverse |
The unique, hexagonal collector coin is made of an alloy of 89% copper, 5% aluminium, 5% zinc and 1% tin (Nordic gold), and weighs 20 grams; the distance between the coin’s opposite tips measures 37.18 mm and the coin has a smooth edge. The commemorative coin can be produced in a quantity of 20,000 pieces using a special proof-like technology.
In order to promote the role of these collector coins to transfer value and raise awareness as widely as possible, the ’50 éves a Rubik-kockaTM’ non-ferrous metal coins will be available for purchase at face value for a year from the date of issuance – while stocks last – in the webshop (https://www.penzvero.hu/) and the coin shop of Hungarian Mint Ltd. (Budapest, distr. V, 7 Báthory street), the producer and the distributor of the coins, starting from 15 July 2024.