First Republic (1946-1949). 5 forint 1948, silver .500, weight - 12 g., size - 32 mm, thickness - 1,9 mm, mintage - 100000 pcs. Engraver: Jozsef Remenyi. Budapest Mint. "Centenary of 1848 Revolution - Sandor Petofi". Single release.
Regency coinage. 2 filler 1940, steel, weight - 3,3 g., size - 19 mm, thickness - 1,6 mm, mintage - 64500000 pcs. Engraver: Janos Palinkas. Budapest Mint. Such coins were released at 1940-42. Demonetized at December 31 1945.
I stated a collection of Hungary a few years back never got into the gold but here are a couple of the coins in my collection
Regency coinage. 50 filler 1926, copper-nicel, weight - 5 g., size - 22 mm, thickness - 1,7 mm, mintage - 14921474 pcs. Engraver: Janos Palinkas. Budapest Mint. Coins of this type were released at 1926 and 1938-40. Demonetized at April 30 1942.
Second Republic (February 1 1946 - August 20 1949). 2 forint 1946, aluminium, weight - 2,8 g., size - 28 mm, thickness - 2 mm, mintage - 10000000 pcs. Budapest Mint. Such coins were released at 1946 and 1947.
Second Republic (1946-1949). 10 forint 1948, silver .500, weight - 20 g., size - 36 mm, thickness - 2,5 mm, mintage - 100000 pcs. Engraver: Jozsef Remenyi. Budapest Mint. "Centenary of 1848 Revolution - Istvan Szechenyi". Single release. Demonetized at June 30 1977.
Hungary in the Middle Ages Left to Right (Obverse above Reverse) The Hungarians (Magyar in their own language), entered the Carpathian Basin of eastern Europe as nomadic warriors about 894 and finally adopted medieval civilization under King (Saint) Stephen in 1001. Under the influence of his German mother, Stephen turned the nation westward toward Rome and away from Constantinople. Among the consequences was the abolition of slavery. Kálmán (Coloman) the Learned (b 1070 r. 1095-1116). The historians are mixed in the evaluation of Kálmán’s reign. Generally, they are favorable. His emphasis on learning and education easily stemmed from his own physical handicaps. He survived and ascended the crown on the basis of his wits, not his strength. 1 denar (Huszar 37) Louis I of Anjou (b 1326 r 1342-1384). … he also confirmed the liberties of the Hungarian nobility at the Diet of 1351, emphasizing the equal status of all noblemen. At the same Diet, he …confirmed the right to free movement for all peasants. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_I_of_Hungary The Saracen’s head on the obverse is supposedly a pun on the name of courtier Count Szerecsen. However, the etymology of the family name likely points back to “Moors” from Constantinople. 1 denar Obv :MONETA LUDOVICI. Rev: REGIS HVNGARIE Maximilian II (1527-1576 r 1562-1576) “Though a Habsburg and a Catholic, he approached the Lutheran Imperial estates with a view to overcome the denominational schism,… He also was faced with the ongoing Ottoman–Habsburg wars and rising conflicts with his Habsburg Spain cousins… Maximilian failed to achieve his three major aims: rationalizing the government structure, unifying Christianity, and evicting the Turks from Hungary… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor 1 denier 0.52 grams 15.8mm 1568 Kremnitz
Originally a silver coin in imitation of Polish issues that were popular, the revolutionary Poltura was copper. Malcontents Revolt 1, 10, and 20 Poltura. The 1 is struck as expected. The 10 and 20 were rolled. 1 Obv Mary with Sword and Christ Child HVGARIAE PATRONA. Rev Coat of Arms POLTURA 1706. 10- and 20-poltura PRO LIBERTATE (date) Coat of Arms. The Malcontents were Hungarian nobles who sought to re-establish themselves after the Turks were pushed out of Hungary by the Hapsburg armies. Their leader was Prince Ferenc II Rákóczi. The “Rákóczi March” is best known from its use in Hector Berlioz’s Damnation of Faust(1846). It may date only to 1730, but always has been identified with Hungarian nationalism, especially in resistance to the Hapsburgs.
1848 Revolution “When France sneezes, Europe catches cold.” Liberal, nationalist revolts broke out across Europe, the political expression of Romanticism that was typified by the music of Chopin and Liszt, and paintings of Eugene Delecroix, iconically, Liberty Leading the People(1830). Left (six kreutzer; billon silver; .220 fine Craig 67) Top VALTO PENZ (“draft money”) 6 Coat of Arms K MAGYAR KIRALYI (of the Hungarian king). Bottom HAT KRAJCZÁR 1848 Right (20 Kreutzer silver Craig 69) Obv: V FERD MAGY H T ORSZ KIRÁLYA ERD N FEJED (Ferdinand V, Hungarian, Croatian (H for Hrveczka) and Slavic (T for Toth) Countries King [and] Transylvania (Erdély) Grand Prince. Rev:MAGY.OR.VÉDŐJE 1848 SZ.MÁRIA IST. ANNYA (Hungary’s national protector 1848 Saint Mary God’s Mother) (These two legends and translations from Numista.com) Ferdinand V actually abdicated in 1848, giving the crown to Franz Josef. As with other revolts, for example Texas against Mexico, the first claim was for a prior constitutional legitimacy.
... so things got a little better for poor Hungary... The Hapsburg Dual Monarchy. Following the collapse of the 1848 Revolution, continued pressure for reform won the Hungarians special status in a sham dual monarchy in which their “king” was the crown prince of Austria. As Austria moved into the modern world of steam engines and indoor plumbing, the currency was reformed in 1892 from the Florin-Kreutzer (forint-krajczár) silver-copper to corona-heller (korona-filler; filler from German “vierer” = “fourer” or 4-penny groschen). Left top left : Ferenc Joszef I (Imperial Kaiser of Austria Czechs Transylvania Hungary Croatia Serbia Dalmatia Apostolic King) Right top left Hungarian Kingdom 1879. Left top Right: 4 Kreuzer coat of arms. Left bottom Left: 1 korona on Latin Monetary system; about 20 cents US. Left bottom right: MAGYAR KIRALYI VALTOPENZ (Hungarian royal draft money, i.e., base metal nickel token like a US 5-cent, nickel two of which get you a silver dime; in this case 100 copper filler to the silver korona ). Right bottom right: 10 filler.
The Twentieth Century: Fascism... Communism... Left MAGYAR KIRALYSAG (Hungarian Kingdom. Actually a fascist "regency" holding place for a missing king). 1 Pengö The word "pengö" while loosely derived perhaps from "pfennig" is an onomatopoeia for "bingle" meaning that it rang like silver versus collapsing like paper. This coin was 0.640 fine. 0.1029 ASW sez Krause SCWC. Not that the Reds don't appreciate expediency. Center: Kossuth Lajos obverse; national coat of arms reverse. 5 Forint 1947 .1929 ASW. 12 grams 0.500 fine. (The coins of 1946 were 20 grams 0.835 fine Latin Monetary Standard but communism is expensive.) "MAGYAR KÖZTÁRSASÁG" (Hungarian Republic. But you need to understand the root words in "community" and "collective" and from there to "village" and thence "public" things. Far right. Commorative for Sándor Csoma de Kőrös who taught himself philology and then walked to Tibet in search of the ancestral home of the Hungarians. It was not there... but he did write the first western dictionary and grammar of the Tibetan language while in the employ of the British consulate. (Biography of him on my blog here: https://necessaryfacts.blogspot.com/2013/05/sandor-korosi-csoma.html)
Thanks! I have a Hungarian client (landscape business) I maintain his property. He was born in 1922/ Hungary. He lived there from 1922-48, now resides in Canada. His father told him of the horrible Bela Kun Communist regime after WW1. Then, after serving in Hungarian cavalary corps in WW2,fighting vs the Soviets, he was imprisoned by the new "Soviet Puppet Regime". After being tortured, he was sentenced to death. However the Reds needed slave labourers, so he ended up in a quarry. Somehow he escaped and ended up in Canada. He to this day hates the Communists, both Hungarian and Stalins thugs.
