461) Janos Arany: Commemorating the Bicentenary of his birth with a set of three coins -5,000 Forint Gold Coin, 10,000 Forint Silver Coin and 2,000 Forint Base Metal Coin by Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Hungarian National Bank) on 03.03.2017:

461) Janos Arany: Commemorating the Bicentenary of his birth with a set of three coins -5,000 Forint Gold Coin, 10,000 Forint Silver Coin and 2,000 Forint Base Metal Coin by Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Hungarian National Bank) on 03.03.2017:

On 03.03.2017, the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Hungarian National Bank) has issued three new coins that commemorate one of Hungary’s most beloved poets – Janos Arany (1817-1882) on the Bicentenary (200^th anniversary) of his birth.

 The statue of Miklos Toldi (by Alajos Strobl)which stands before the entrance to Hungary’s National Museum along with the Obverse of the cupronickel 2,000 Forint Coin. Miklos Toldi was the subject of Janos Arany’s “Toldi Trilogy”.

Janos Arany (1817-1882):

He was a Hungarian poet, teacher, editor and the Director of the Kisfaludy Society (a literary organisation founded in 1836 in Pest). He was a member and Secretary of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and became one of the best known and most renowned personalities in Hungarian literature.

As the greatest Hungarian ballad writer, he was known as the “Hungarian Shakespeare” of ballads. He was also called “the Notary of Szalonta” (for his profession), and in his hometown Nagyszalonta, he was nicknamed “the listening man” probably a personality trait of his.

Born in a poor Calvinist family, he was raised with great care as eight of his nine siblings had not survived due to tuberculosis. Despite his poor background, he was very well educated and was familiar with the great works in several languages Latin, Greek, German, English and French Literature, which he read in the original languages. He later carried out an immense volume of translation work in addition to writing more than 40 ballads, which have been translated into more than fifty other languages.

His translations of Shakespeare are considered outstanding even today and are still read and used as reference material. His love for the language was demonstrated with great excellence and his vocabulary was unparalled. He used some 60,000 individual words in his works, surpassing his contemporaries by far.

In 1845, his literary career started with a satirical epic “Az elveszett alkotmany” (meaning “The Lost Constitution,”), but he achieved real fame with his award winning poem “Toldi” in 1846. This hugely influential work also led to a lifelong friendship with the poet Sandor Petofi (1823-1849). Arany was already involved in public life at the start of his career, writing articles on politics and participating in Hungary’s Revolution and War of Independence in 1848-1849 as a national guard.

He was later employed at the Ministry of the Interior under Bertalan Szemere (1812-1869), himself a Hungarian poet and nationalist who became the third Prime Minister of Hungary during the short period of the Revolution of 1848.

After the fall of the Revolution, Arany, like other public or influential persons who had supported the independence of Hungary, was on run for some time, but he avoided being caught and moved to Nagykoros, where he worked as a teacher from 1851-1860.

Arany was later elected Director of the Kisfaludy Society and returned to Pest where, during the Compromise period, he was an important figure in Hungarian literature and political life. In 1865, he became the Secretary of the Academy and later held the position of General Secretary.

After 1877 he wrote a poetic cycle titled “Oszikek” (meaning “Autumn Blue”) and the poems included in the “Kapcsos” book.

The “Toldi trilogy” was completed in 1879 with the publication of “Toldi szerelme”.

Shortly before he passed away on 22.10.1882, he wrote “Sejtelem”, a poetic conclusion to his career.

Arany is best remembered for his prolific written works, which were translated into other languages because of their excellence and precise descriptions of the sentiment of the country during its short-lived era of Independence in 1848.

The Commemorative Coins:

The set of three coins designed by Vilmos Kraly and minted by the Mint of Hungary on behalf of the Hungarian National Bank is in three denominations: 5000 Forint Gold Coin, 10,000 Forint Silver Coin and a 2,000 Forint Base Metal Coin.  All three coins depict the artistic activity of Janos Arany in its entirety.

The Obverse of the 5,000 Forint Gold Coin features a motif alluding to the golden section. With its perfect proportions, the motif symbolises Arany’s mature, classic poetry and shows a stylised spiral composed of the titles of Arany’s most important works. Starting from the centre, the titles of some of Janos Arany’s most important works are written in slightly wavy lines, in the nature of a flying millstone. The inscription on the lower to right periphery is a quote from the Toldi Trilogy, a breakthrough piece of work in Janos Arany’s literary career: “REPUL A NEHEZ KO: Ki TUDJA, HOL ALL MEG?” (meaning “THE HEAVY STONE FLIES, WHO KNOWS WHERE IT IS GOING TO LAND?”).

In addition, the following design elements are seen on this face. On the upper periphery is the name of the country “MAGYARORSZAG” (meaning “Republic of Hungary”). The denominational value of the coin “5000 Forint” is towards the lower periphery. The mint mark “BP” and the year of minting “2017 appear on the right periphery.

 The Reverse of the 5,000 Forint Gold Coin features a portrait of the young Janos Arany made after the engraving by painter Miklos Barabas. The inscriptions read on the right periphery “ARANY JANOS” and on the left periphery the years “1817-1882” representing his life years.

The specifications of this coin are:

Denominational value: 5,000 Forint; Metal Composition: .999 Gold; Weight: 5.0 grams; Diameter: 11.00 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Mintage Limit: 5,000 pieces.

 An engraving of the painted portrait of Janos Arany by Miklos Barabas which appears on the Gold Five Thousand Forint Coin

 The Obverse of the 10,000 Forint Silver Coin features the statue ensemble of Miklos Toldi by Alajos Strobyl. Around the right periphery is a quotation from The “Toldi Trilogy” “REMLIK, MINTHA LATNAM TERMETES NOVESET” (meaning “I SEE, IT SEEMS, HIS TOWERING FORM”). On the lower periphery is the name of the country “MAGYARORSZAG” (meaning “Republic of Hungary”). The denominational value of the coin “10,000 Forint” is towards the upper left periphery. The mint mark “BP” and the year of minting “2017 appear in the centre of the left periphery.

 The Reverse of the 10,000 Forint Silver Coin features a half length portrait of Janos Arany, his signature and a quote from his work titled “The Bard of Wales” “KOBZAN/A DAL/MAGARA/VALL” (meaning “WITHOUT SALUTE HE STRIKES THE LUTE”).

The specifications of this coin are:

Denominational value: 10,000 Forint; Metal Composition: .925 Silver; Weight: 31.46 grams; Diameter: 38.61 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Mintage Limit: 5,000 pieces. 

(Image of the Obverse of the 2,000 Forint Coin shown elsewhere above)

 The Obverse of the 2,000 Forint Base Metal Coin features the statue ensemble of Miklos Toldi by Alajos Strobyl. Around the right periphery is a quotation from The “Toldi Trilogy” “REMLIK, MINTHA LATNAM TERMETES NOVESET (meaning “I SEE, IT SEEMS, HIS TOWERING FORM”). On the lower periphery is the name of the country “MAGYARORSZAG” (meaning “Republic of Hungary”). The denominational value of the coin “2,000 Forint” is towards the upper left periphery. The mint mark “BP” and the year of minting “2017” appear in the centre of the left periphery.

 The Reverse of the 2,000 Forint Base Metal Coin features a half length portrait of Janos Arany, his signature and a quote from his work titled “The Bard of Wales” “KOBZAN/A DAL/MAGARA/VALL” (meaning “WITHOUT SALUTE HE STRIKES THE LUTE”).

The specifications of this coin are:

Denominational value: 2,000 Forint; Metal Composition: Cupro-Nickel; Weight: 30.8 grams; Diameter: 38.61 mm; Coin Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated (BU); Mintage Limit: 5,000 pieces.

The engraving of a portrait of Arany by Barabas which is depicted on the Reverse of the Silver 10,000 Forint and the Base Metal Cupronickel 2,000 Forint Coins

Links to posts on Hungarian coins & currency this Blog:

1) Currency and Coinage of Hungary: Forints & Fillers: Forint "Papirpenz" (Banknotes) and Forint "Ermek" (Coins) in Hungarian

2) Janos Arany:Commemorating the Bicentenary of his birth with a set of 3 coins: 5000 Forint, 10000 Forint Silver coin and 2000 Forint Base Metal Coin by Magyar Nemzeti Bank on 03.03.2017

3) Bukk National Park, Hungary" Fourth in the Hungarian National Park Series launched in 2010: Two coins Silver HUF 10000 (Forints) and Base Metal HUF 2000 (Forints) issued on 21.04.2017

4) Janos Iriniyi: Inventor of the noiseless & non-explosive match: 200th Birth anniversary commemorated on 2000 Forint (cupro-nickel) rectangular coin ; Issue date: 18.05.2017