New 200-forint commemorative circulation coin and large collector coins to honour Lajos Batthyány and the 13 Martyrs of Arad

4 October 2024

The Magyar Nemzeti Bank is issuing a large, silver collector coin of 30,000 forints with a 13-angled inner edge and its non-ferrous metal version with a denomination of 7,500 forints on 6 October, on the day to commemorate the Martyrs of Arad. This issuance is to mark the 175th anniversary of the execution of the martyrs who gave their lives for Hungary’s independence. In addition to the collector coins, the Bank is also issuing a new 200-forint commemorative circulation coin to pay homage to Lajos Batthyány, Hungary’s first constitutional prime minister. One million pieces will be produced and put into circulation from the unique 200-forint coin, while 6,000 and 8,000 pieces will be struck from the silver and the non-ferrous metal versions, respectively. The collector coins were conceived by coin designer István Kósa, and the renewed thematic side of the 200-forint commemorative circulation coin was designed by sculptor Zoltán Kovács.

As a consequence of their roles in the 1848–1849 War of Independence, the 13 Hungarian military leaders of the Revolution were executed in Arad 175 years ago on 6 October 1849. On the same day, another death sentence was carried out in Pest: Lajos Batthyány, Hungary’s first constitutional prime minister was also executed. The series of executions scheduled for the first anniversary of the revolutions of 1848 in Vienna and the assassination of Theodor Baillet von Latour, secretary of war in the Austrian Empire marked the peak of a period of retribution after the defeated war of independence. Following the orders of Haynau, who was granted absolute power in Hungary, the military leaders fighting for Hungary’s independence and autonomy, were executed by firing squad or hanging. The sentences were carried out in the following order: Arisztid Dessewffy, Vilmos Lázár, József Schweidel, Ernő Kiss were executed by firing squad while Ernő Poeltenberg, Ignác Török, György Láhner, Károly Knezić, József Nagysándor, Károly Leiningen-Westerburg, Lajos Aulich, János Damjanich and Károly Vécsey were executed by hanging. According to eyewitness accounts, the 13 martyr generals faced the sentences with incredible courage. Lajos Batthyány was executed on the Wood Marketplace behind the Újépület (New Building), where the Batthyány's sanctuary lamp sits today. Later he was buried in the Franciscan church in the downtown area of Budapest, but his remains were moved to the Fiume Road Graveyard and laid to rest there.

To mark the 175th anniversary of the executions of Lajos Batthyány and the 13 Martyrs of Arad, the MNB is issuing a new 200-forint commemorative circulation coin and a large, silver collector coin of 30,000 forints with 13-angled inner edge and its non-ferrous metal version with a denomination of 7,500 forints on the national day of mourning.

The face value side of the 200-forint commemorative circulation coin, to be issued, is identical with the face value side of the 200-forint coin currently in circulation. However, on the thematic side, extending to the edge, the half-length portrait of Count Lajos Batthyány is found, which was inspired by Miklós Barabás’ oil painting. This replaces the representation of the Chain Bridge, usually seen on the coin. Inside the beaded border, at the bottom left, the minting year ‘2024’ is shown horizontally. Above, the lettering ‘BATTHYÁNY’ is seen in a legend while on the left, the inscription ‘MAGYARORSZÁG’ (Hungary) is read in a legend. The inscriptions are separated by the date ‘† 1849. OKTÓBER 6.’ (6 October 1849) in two horizontal lines at the top which makes reference to the time of the execution.

The 200-forint commemorative circulation coin to mark the 175th anniversary of Lajos Batthyány’s martyrdom

The thematic side of the coin was designed by sculptor Zoltán Kovács. The commemorative circulation coin is identical with the bimetal 200-forint coins used in circulation regarding their technical parameters: the outer ring of the non-ferrous metal coin is produced from an alloy of copper (75%), nickel (4%) and zinc (21%), with its inner core made from an alloy of copper (75%) and nickel (25%). The outer diameter of the coin is 28.30 mm, while the core diameter is 17.90 mm. The rim is 2 mm thick, and the coin weighs 9 grams and it has an interrupted reeded edge.

There will be 1 million pieces made of the 200-forint commemorative circulation coin. The coin will be available for the public through the cash circulation channels. The MNB will not exchange denominations in its retail cash office. From 7 October 2024 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 Ltd. As a collector item, 40 coins will be available in bankrolls of the 200-forint commemorative circulation coins at the same place.

Taking account of the significance of this anniversary, the MNB is issuing a silver collector coin of 30,000 forints named ‘Batthyány Lajos és a 13 aradi vértanú’ (Lajos Batthyány and the 13 Martyrs of Arad) and its non-ferrous metal version with a denomination of 7,500 forints. The primary role of these coins is to pay tribute to and to commemorate the martyrs who fought for our national independence and autonomy. The collector coins have no role in cash circulation. The silver and non-ferrous metal versions have the same design, the only difference being the denominations on them.

The obverse and the reverse of the 'Batthyány Lajos és a 13 aradi vértanú’ collector coins have 13-angled edges referring to the occasion of the issuance. Inspired by Miklós Barabás’ painting, a half-body portrait of Lajos Batthyány is featured on the obverse. To the left of the portrait, in a legend, the lettering ‘MAGYARORSZÁG’ (HUNGARY) is seen, to the right, in three lines the denominations ‘30000’ and ’7500’, the inscription ‘FORINT’ and the mint mark ‘BP.’ are placed with Lajos Batthyány’s signature positioned vertically.

The obverse of the ‘Batthyány Lajos és a 13 aradi vértanú’ collector coins

On the reverse of the 'Batthyány Lajos és a 13 aradi vértanú' collector coins, a stylised representation of a carved graveyard pole is shown on the left. Inserted into it, the year ‘1849’ is seen at the top, indicating the time of the executions with the names of the 13 martyrs of Arad appearing in the order they were executed, below in two lines: ‘DESSEWFFY ARISZTID, LÁZÁR VILMOS, SCHWEIDEL JÓZSEF, KISS ERNŐ, POELTENBERG ERNŐ, TÖRÖK IGNÁC, LÁHNER GYÖRGY, KNEZIĆ KÁROLY, NAGYSÁNDOR JÓZSEF, LEININGEN-WESTERBURG KÁROLY, AULICH LAJOS, DAMJANICH JÁNOS, VÉCSEY KÁROLY’. At the bottom, on the left, the minting year ‘2024’ is found. On the right of the reverse, a portion of the Statue of Liberty in Arad (created by sculptor György Zala) is seen. On the edge of the reverse, the inscription ‘ARADI VÉRTANÚK’ (THE MARTYRS OF ARAD) is featured in a legend at the top right, with the designer’s mark of István Kósa at the bottom in the middle.

The reverse of the ‘Batthyány Lajos és a 13 aradi vértanú’ collector coins

Both collector coins are 52.50 mm in diameter. Their edge is reeded. The coin with a face value of HUF 30,000 is struck in 925‰ silver in proof finish and the non-ferrous metal coin with a face value of HUF 7,500 is made from an alloy of copper (75%) and nickel (25%) in BU finish. The silver coin weighs 77.76 grams and the non-ferrous metal version weighs 76.50 grams. The collector coins are issued in limited quantities: 6000 pieces can be minted of the silver coin and 8000 pieces of the non-ferrous metal version.

To promote the collector coins' value transferring role and their capacity to raise awareness as widely as possible the ‘Batthyány Lajos és a 13 aradi vértanú’ silver commemorative coin can be purchased for three months, until stocks last, and the non-ferrous metal version for one year from the first business day following the date of the issuance, i.e. from 7 October 2024, at their face value in the webshop (https://www.penzvero.hu/) and coin shop of Hungarian Mint Ltd. (Budapest, distr. V, 7 Báthory street), the producer and the distributor of the coins.