Featured The Hungarian 10 Fillér (1892-1997)

Recently I've been focusing on completing the sets of minor types from the Hungarian periods I collect, and I have just completed the set of 10 fillér types.

The 10 fillér denomination was introduced in 1892 when Austria-Hungary adopted the korona monetary system (gold standard), and the denomination was produced until 1997. The 10 fillér set consists of 11 business strike types and one proof-only type, though I also have two (or three) patterns for this denomination to share here as well.

Classic 10 Fillér Types

The Austro-Hungarian Compromise
Austro-Hungarian Korona (1892-1916)

Hungary 1894KB Nickel 10 Fillér
NGC MS66
KM-482 (1892-1914)



A beautiful workhorse coin with enough dates of high mintage that it is fairly easy to find a gem example for multiple years.

Hungary 1916KB Nickel-Brass 10 Fillér
NGC MS63
KM-494 (1914-1916)



A three-year type that is tougher to find in uncirculated grades. Note that the dies for 1915 and 1916 of this type were later pressed into use for the wartime iron type below.

The Austro-Hungarian Compromise
Karoly IV (1916-1918)

1918KB Iron 10 Fillér
NGC UNC DETAILS - CLEANED
KM-496 (1915-1918)



The iron WWI issues are all very difficult to find in good condition, especially the 10 fillér. Even finding an uncirculated details example was extremely challenging. While this type is listed as 1915-1918, examples dated 1915 and 1916 were struck in 1917 using older dies from KM-494.

The Kingdom of Hungary
Hungarian Korona (1920-1922)

Hungary 1920KB Iron 10 Fillér
NGC MS65
KM-496 (1920)



There was a brief post-war period of a couple of years before the Pengő system, where the Korona system was still in place, but not much was produced in the way of coinage. This transitional type is identical to the earlier 1915-1918 iron type, but it was struck again two governments later, and so I (and most Hungarian collectors) count it as a separate type. Unlike the earlier iron issues, decent examples can be found of the 1920 one-year type, though finding this MS65 example was extremely difficult.

The Kingdom of Hungary
Hungarian Pengő (1926-1945)

Hungary 1926BP Nickel 10 Fillér
NGC MS63
KM-507 (1926-1940)



The Horthy era 10 fillér. A fairly common issue.

Hungary 1940BP Steel 10 Fillér
NGC MS62
KM-507a (1940-1942)



The wartime version of KM-507 above, struck on a steel planchet. This type is difficult to find without at least light corrosion.

 

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Wow, nice specimens! I may have to look into these - I don't do much in world coins but have plenty of Hungarian blood in me! Great thread!

 

Modern 10 Fillér Types

The Second Hungarian Republic (Magyar Köztársaság) (1946-1949)

Hungary 1946BP Aluminum-Bronze 10 Fillér Pattern
Pattern of KM-530 (1946)



A beautiful an exceedingly rare pattern. Only 10 were produced of this coin and no examples are in the Hungarian National Collection.

Hungary 1946BP Aluminum-Bronze 10 Fillér
NGC MS66
KM-530 (1946-1948)



An MS66 example of the resulting business strike that the above pattern was produced for. A short-lived type, as was the Second Hungarian Republic that issued it.

The Hungarian People's Republic (Magyar Népköztársaság) (1949-1989)

The first Soviet-era coinage for Hungary came out in late 1949 to mid 1950 with the establishment of the Hungarian People's Republic (Magyar Népköztársaság). Several of these types were one-year re-issued coins from the Second Hungarian Republic (1946-1949). While these coins are frequently cataloged as being the last date of the earlier type, I consider them to be distinct types due to the break in production and the interceding major change in government. As such, my modern Hungarian type set has three 1950 10 fillér types.

Hungary 1950BP Aluminum-Bronze 10 Fillér
KM-530 (1950)



The KM-530 type was issued by the Second Hungarian Republic from 1946-1948. No issues were struck in 1949, and the Soviet government struck up more of this type in 1950 to fill the need for small coinage.

Hungary 1950BP Aluminum 10 Fillér
NGC MS67
KM-530a (1950)



Somewhat of an enigma, the KM-530a type is an aluminum version of KM-530. All aluminum versions of KM-530 are cataloged as patterns, including 1950. Krause incorrectly lists this coin as a circulating sub-type, which it absolutely is not. The KM-530 type was restruck in the 1960s in yellow brass without other identifying markings on the coin. It is possible that there is both a rare 1950 aluminum version of this coin that is a true pattern, and other examples (like mine) are undocumented restrikes from the 1960s that were produced using aluminum planchets of this coin using the 1950 dies.

Hungarian collectors are uncertain of the origins of this coin. Examples are scarce and tend to be gem grades. In my opinion, this coin is either a pattern with an issue of 1,000-2,000 pieces (similar to the 1950 2 Forint pattern), or it is a modern fantasy restrike with a comparable mintage.

Hungary 1950BP Aluminum 10 Fillér
KM-547 (1950-1966)



This coin is the big key for modern Hungarian coinage. On paper the mintage was 5,040,000, however, any example of the coin will go for over 200 Euro. The next big key is the 1967 10 fillér (first year of the successive aluminum type) which had a mintage of only 5,000, yet it catalogs for half of the price of the 1950 issue. What happened with the extra mintage of the 1950 to make it so scarce, I don't know, however, the 1950 10 fillér KM-547 is a profoundly rare issue.

Hungary 1966BP Copper-Nickel 10 Fillér Proof
NGC PF66
KM-547a (1966-1967)



Being otherwise identical to KM-547, the KM-547a type was struck in copper-nickel instead of aluminum for the proof sets issued in 1966 and 1967.

These proof issues were only sold in 8 coin presentation sets in red velvet lined cases. All aluminum minor types were struck in copper-nickel for this set, while the major types were struck in silver. The 5 forint proof was unique to these sets and was of a type previously issued in 1947.


Hungary 1967BP Aluminum 10 Fillér
NGC MS65
KM-572 (1967-1989)



One of the big keys for modern Hungarian coins. The 1967 issue had only 5,000 pieces struck. Uncirculated examples can be found for around 100 Euro if one searches long enough.

The Third Hungarian Republic (Magyar Köztársaság) (1989-2011)

Hungary 1990BP Aluminum 10 Fillér Pattern
Pattern of KM-675 (1990)



A pattern of the last 10 fillér type produced. Note the PV. near the dove's head, which is an abbreviation for Próbaveret (test strike).

Hungary 1990BP Aluminum 10 Fillér
NGC MS66
KM-675 (1990-1997)



The last modern 10 fillér type, discontinued after 1997 due to inflation. You'll note the modern 10 fillér design remained largely unchanged from the 1946 pattern until the end of the denomination in 1997.

 

Cool collection of coins and patterns you got there. And it is quite remarkable indeed that the peace dove design was used, without any design changes apart from the country reference, for so many years. Also, I remember that a couple of years ago I looked the meaning of "Magyar Állami Váltópénz" up which I thought was another version of the name of the country. Nah, apparently it means something like Hungarian state token/divisional coin. So much for my country name assumption, hehe.

Christian

 

I suspect those WW I era coins are scarcer than the price indicates. I can find them but not in Unc.

I didn't realize the '50 is so scarce. I've got a couple Gems that I found right along with the other dates. If memory serves there was a circ as well but it probably went in poundage.

 

Thanks. The 1950 pieces were very elusive. For my modern type set I only find first year of issue coins to be acceptable, which meant I needed the two big keys to complete the 10 fillér set. I recently found suitable examples with the help of a couple Hungarian dealers.

Magyar Állami Váltópénz is rather hard to translate because, as you pointed out, a literal translation is very confusing. A better literal translation is (more or less) Hungarian State Moneychanger, but I've always thought of it as best meaning something analogous to "Hungarian National Monetary Authority".

 

Yes I agree with your assessment on the WWI era coins. The iron 10 fillér in aUNC is typically hairlined and will go for about $100+, but the other issues are undervalued compared to the difficulty of finding them in nice condition.

I didn't mention it for the alu-bronze 1950 issue, but it is also quite rare. A choice uncirculated example only goes for around ~$40. Really any of the three types of 1950 10 fillér have significant collector demand.

If you encountered gem examples of the 1950 in aluminum, it was almost assuredly KM-530a. I have seen a few of these pop up on eBay from time to time and I have bought and resold them quite nicely. As I said above, they are probably restrikes, but Krause put them in as circulating types (wrong) so a lot of collectors are expecting them for type sets and there's more demand than there should be. The KM-547 1950 is extremely rare, but when one does pop up it is usually well-circulated. I have to assume most of the mintage was destroyed to account for the apparent rarity, but I don't really have any proof. Who knows, maybe there's 5,000,000 of them sitting in a vault somewhere.

 

It's been so many years since I bought those '50's that I'm not certain what they were. They're in a safety deposit box and I'll keep my eyes open for them. They were remarkably Gem so you're probably right they were 530a. I got pretty lucky and ran into a rather large collection of Hungarian minors and base metal coins. There was a little silver and higher denomination but I got outbid on a lot of that. This was way back in the '70's before these were appreciated and I got everything for a song. Most of the aluminum was 50c or $1. There were several of the '66 and '67 proof sets included and a spectacular Gem '43 5P.

Most people have no idea how difficult it is to find even "common dates" of moderns in BU. I rarely ran into collections like this but was usually able to acquire them for very little cost.

I've tried to flesh out these collections over the years but in many cases coins not included in the old collections are just rare or far out of my price range.

 

There were large quantities of the old stuff in circulated condition but I just saved the good dates and the rest went into poundage. Over the years I've added some of the modern silver and nickel coins. The 10 fillers are my favorite but I like the 20f design and feel as well.

 

Very interesting set in great grade!

 

Thanks. I did one on the 2 fillér as well:

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/hungarian-2-fillér-types.338542/