Hungary: New coin series featuring outstanding restoration of St. Stephen’s Hall launches

The National Bank of Hungary has released (19th August) the first coin in a new series which emphasises a focus on the National Hauszmann Programme, launched in 2019 with a view to restoring the Buda Castle District. Hungary possesses an outstanding intellectual and cultural heritage, and many projects have been undertaken since the return of democracy to restore many landmarks and monuments to their original appearance, last seen at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as envisioned by the architect Alajos Hauszmann.

The first hexagonal-shaped golden-coloured coin is part of the planned seven-piece series and was produced by the Mint of Hungary at their facilities in Budapest, on behalf of the National Bank. Designed to fit together as a larger illustration of the Buda Castle district, other collector coins in the series will feature buildings renovated or rebuilt under the National Hauszmann Programme, as well as other sites in the castle, on an annual basis. When combined and completed, the overall collection will form a honeycomb structure and illustrate a greater view of the Buda Castle district. The obverse side of the first coin is the work of artist Zoltán Endrődy and features a circular tapestry of the redecorated hall, with the Patriarchal cross in the centre and other decorative elements of the tapestry around it. In a semi-circular arch above the primary design is the lettering MAGYARORSZÁG (“Hungary”) and at the bottom is the denomination 3000 FORINT. On the left edge is the year 2022, and on the right edge is the mint mark BP. The reverse side intricately depicts a section of the Zsolnay fireplace, the dominant feature of St. Stephen’s Hall, with a bust of St. Stephen in the centre. The motif is represented by structured lines in the form of a plan at the edges, which are replaced by increasingly higher plasticity towards the centre, referring to the process of realisation and reconstruction of the plans. Below the central motif is the inscription SZENT ISTVÁN-TEREM. The coin designer’s insignia is found at the bottom-right. 

Denom.	Metal	Weight	Diameter	Quality	Mintage Limit
3,000 forint	Copper-aluminum	20 g	37.1 mm	Prooflike	20,000

The base metal Szent István-terem coins will be available for purchase while stocks last from the date of issuance and at face value in the coin shop of the Hungarian Mint Ltd. located at 7 Báthory Street in Budapest’s district V, and on the mint’s website starting from the 19th August 2022. 

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