16 February 2017
To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Zsuzsanna Kossuth, the Magyar Nemzeti Bank will issue a silver collector coin with a face value of HUF 10,000 and its nonferrous metal version with a face value of HUF 2,000 at a ceremony to celebrate Hungarian Nurses Day on 17 February 2017. A key figure for the cause of Hungarian healthcare, the first head nurse in Hungary, Lajos Kossuth’s sister was the first female nurse to establish and supervise field hospitals.
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The Zsuzsanna Kossuth commemorative coins are legal tender in Hungary, but they do not serve circulatory purposes. On their front side in the outer ring, the following design elements are featured: the lettering “MAGYARORSZÁG” in the upper legend, the value numerals 10,000 and 2000 forint in the lower legend, the year of mintage “2017” on the left, the mint mark “BP.” produced with special micro lettering that contains a security element on the right side. At the centre, the front side bears the representation of a scene at a 19th-century field hospital with reference to the hard work of Zsuzsanna Kossuth during the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence in 1848-1849, which led to the establishment of 72 field hospitals in three months, where the level of patient care was uniquely high in Europe. She recruited female volunteers to perform the tasks of patient care and to create tools aiding nursing. On the basis of her experience the need for the professional training of nurses arose, an idea that was not realised due to the defeated war of independence. The reverse side features the portrait of Zsuzsanna Kossuth as the central motif. Her brother, Lajos Kossuth appointed Zsuzsanna Kossuth “head nurse of all field hospitals” in 1849: she was the female nurse to establish and supervise the first field hospitals. All the lettering (“KOSSUTH ZSUZSANNA” and „THE FIRST HEAD NURSE IN HUNGARY”) featured on the reverse side refer to this fact. Here the years of birth and death of the head nurse who died at a young age are also shown: 1817-1854. The commemorative coin was designed by the sculptor Ildikó Erőss. Her master mark is shown on the left side. The silver coin with a face value of HUF 10,000 is struck in .925 fine silver and weighs 31.46 grams. The non-ferrous metal coin with a face value of HUF 2,000 is produced from an alloy of copper (75%) and nickel (25%) and weighs 30.8 grams. Both coins have a diameter of 38.61 mm. The edge of the commemorative coins is reeded. 5,000 pieces can be made of the silver commemorative coin in proof, while 6,000 pieces of the HUF 2,000 non-ferrous metal variation in BU finish. Since 2014 the MNB has issued all precious metal commemorative coins in a cheaper, non-ferrous metal variation as well. To facilitate the enforcement of the coins' value transferring and educational role as widely as possible, the silver commemorative coin with a face value of HUF 10,000 can be purchased for three months after the date of issuance, i.e. 17 February 2017, while the non-ferrous metal coin with a face value of HUF 2,000 can be purchased without time constraint, subject to availability, at the face value from 17 February 2017 at the coin shop of Hungarian Mint Ltd. (Budapest, distr. V, 7 Báthory street) and in the webshop on the company’s website (http://penzvero.hu/). Magyar Nemzeti Bank |