19 November 2024
The Magyar Nemzeti Bank will issue a particularly valuable gold collector coin named ‘V. László aranyforintja’ (The Golden Florin of Laduslaus V) in single and in piedfort version, which is four times the weight of a normal coin, on 20 November 2024. In line with the traditions of central bank issuances, the non-ferrous metal version of the 50,000-forint precious metal coins will also be issued at a face value of 3,000 forints. The collector coins represent the eighth addition in the Hungarian medieval gold florin series. The coin was designed by sculptor Tamás E. Soltra.
The MNB issued the gold coin of Charles I as the first piece in the series named ‘Hungarian Gold Florins from the Middle Ages’ in 2012 with the aim of providing a full picture of good quality coins in medieval Hungarian money history, which preserved their value and were frequently accepted by foreign merchants as well. To be true to history, the first piece of the series was followed by the golden florin of Louis I in 2013, Queen Mary in 2014, Sigismund in 2016, Albert in 2018, Vladislaus I in 2020 and John Hunyadi in 2022.
By issuing this coin, the MNB wishes to highlight the values of Hungarian money history, the historic predecessors of our national currency, the Medieval golden florins. The gold and the non-ferrous metal versions have the same design, the only difference being their denominations.
The obverse of the ‘V. László aranyforintja’ collector coins shows the reverse of the gold forint issued by King Ladislaus V in the centre, with the figure of Ladislaus I of Hungary holding a poleaxe with a short-handle and a globus cruciger in the centre surrounded by an inner border. Inside the beaded border running around the edge of the obverse, in the upper legend the inscription ‘MAGYARORSZÁG’ (HUNGARY) is seen, with the denominations ‘50000’ and ‘3000’ and the lettering ‘FORINT’ are featured, separated by flower motifs.
The obverse of the ‘V. László aranyforintja’ collector coin
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Gold collector coin |
Gold collector coin |
Non-ferrous metal collector coin |
On the reverse, in the middle, partly extending beyond the circular, grid-patterned central field, bordered by a beaded edge, the figure of King Ladislaus V is featured sitting on the throne. This representation was inspired by an engraving in the Brno issue of the Thuróczy Chronicle, published in 1488. Beneath the King’s coat of arms is placed. To the left of the representation of King Ladislaus V, the mint mark ‘BP.’ is found with the minting year ‘2024’ underneath. To the right, the designer’s mark of sculptor Tamás E. Soltra is positioned. Inside the beaded border running along the edge of the reverse, the inscription ‘V. LÁSZLÓ 1453-1457 ARANYFORINTJA’ (LADISLAUS V 1453-1457 GOLDEN FLORIN) is shown in a legend.
The reverse of the ‘V. László aranyforintja’ collector coin
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Gold collector coin |
Gold collector coin |
Non-ferrous metal collector coin |
The gold coin with a face value of HUF 50,000 is struck in .986 fine gold. The normal coin weighs 3.491 grams (1 ducat) and the piedfort coin weighs 13.964 grams (4 ducats). The non-ferrous metal coin with a face value of HUF 3,000 is produced from an alloy of copper (75%), nickel (4%) zinc (21%) and weighs 2.7 grams. The edges of the 1 ducat gold and the non-ferrous metal coins are smooth. The piedfort gold coins are decorated with a unique Latin inscription ‘+ LADISLAVS ∙ D ∙ G ∙ R ∙ VNGARIE’ (LADISLAUS DEI GRATIA REX UNGARIAE) on the edge, meaning ‘Ladislaus, king of Hungary by the grace of God’. All three coins have the same diameter of 20 mm. The mintage limit of the piedfort collector coin is 500 and that of the normal coin is 2000 in proof finish. The mintage limit of the non-ferrous coin is 5000 in BU finish.
In order to promote the role of these collector coins to transfer value and raise awareness as widely as possible, the non-ferrous metal coin of 3,000 forints will be available for purchase for one year after issuance, while stocks last, at 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, starting from 20 November 2024. Gold collector coins - unlike the silver and non-ferrous collector coins - are not sold at face value. More details are available at the Hungarian Mint Ltd.