The collector coin series featuring Hungarian counties and county towns continues with the themes of Baranya County and Pécs

4 March 2024 As the second element of the collector coin series featuring Hungarian counties and county towns, the Magyar Nemzeti Bank will issue a silver collector coin with a face value of HUF 20,000 named ‘Baranya County, Pécs’ and its non-ferrous metal version with a face value of HUF 3,000 on 5 March 2024. The coins were designed by applied artist Gábor Kereszthury.

Baranya County is Hungary’s southernmost county, known for its natural endowments, wine regions and historically significant cities. The county seat, Pécs, is the regional centre of Southern Transdanubia, as well as one of Hungary’s oldest towns, and currently its fifth largest settlement. The town, then named Sopianae, was established by the Romans in the 2nd century, and the Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000. Hungary’s first university arose in the city of Pécs in the 15th century. The world-famous Zsolnay porcelain and ceramics, made in Pécs, were added to the list of Hungaricums in 2014.

As the second element of the collector coin series featuring Hungarian counties and county towns which began in 2022, the Magyar Nemzeti Bank will issue a silver collector coin with a face value of HUF 20,000 named ‘Baranya County, Pécs’ and its non-ferrous metal version of HUF 3,000 on 5 March 2024. Keeping with the thematic concept of the series, the obverse of the collector coin will feature the county seat and its reverse the county. In line with this, the obverse will show the outstanding elements of Pécs’s architectural heritage and its cultural values, while the reverse will show Baranya county’s natural treasures.

The primary role of the coins is to raise awareness with no role in cash circulation. The silver and non-ferrous metal coins have the same design, the only difference being the denominations on them.

The obverse of the collector coins shows one of the most significant historical buildings of Pécs, the Downtown Candlemas Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary (formerly known as the Mosque of Pasha Qasim), reminiscent of the Ottoman occupation. To its right in the foreground one can find the Zsolnay Fountain, erected to honour the memory of Vilmos Zsolnay, owner of the city’s famous porcelain manufactory. The water from the fountain is reminiscent of the Mecsek streams, which have, up to the second half of the 19th century, served the city’s industrial development.

Subtly hinted on the side of the fountain is the coat of arms of Pécs. The left side of the obverse shows the Statue of the Holy Trinity of Pécs, symbolising the unity that came about in the 18th century following the plagues, and visible on the left side thereof, atop the Misina peak, is the Pécs TV Tower, which, with its height of 197 meters, is the tallest building in Hungary.

The compulsory elements of collector coins can be found on the obverse as well: in the upper centre, along the circular arc, is the inscription ‘MAGYARORSZÁG’ (Hungary), while mint year ‘2024’ and the mint mark ‘BP.’ are positioned on the left. Under the Zsolnay Fountain, to the left, along the circular arc, are the denominations ‘20000’ or ‘3000’ along with the lettering ‘FORINT’ and above it the inscription ‘PÉCS’.

The obverse of the ’Baranya vármegye, Pécs’ collector coins

The reverse of the collector coins shows the Mecsek skyline, with the Pécs TV Tower visible in the distance. The left side features the map-like representation of the county, inside of which the inscriptions ‘BARANYA’ and ‘VÁRMEGYE’ (county) can be read, in two separate lines, one line below the other. The peony of Bánát, one of Hungary’s protected plants, can only be found in Baranya County, within Hungary. The representation of the flower appears on the lower right of the obverse, to which the lettering ‘BÁNÁTI BAZSARÓZSA’ (peony of Bánát), inscribed in a circular legend on the lower left-hand edge of the reverse, is connected. The grape cluster on the upper right-hand edge of the reverse, also featured in the county’s coat of arms, refers to the wine regions of Pécs and Villány-Siklós. The designer’s mark of applied artist Gábor Kereszthury, designer of the collector coin, is positioned next to the representation of the peony of Bánát. 

The reverse of the ‘Baranya vármegye, Pécs’ collector coins

The collector coins are considered special in terms of their technical parameters as well, with the 42 mm diameter being unique among all forint collector coins to the elements of this series. Connecting the elements of the series is the inscription appearing on the coins’ third side, ‘MAGYARORSZÁG VÁRMEGYÉI, VÁRMEGYESZÉKHELYEI’ (Hungarian Counties and Countytowns), which, separated with a hyphen, appears twice on the finely reeded edges.

The collector coin with a face value of HUF 20,000 is struck in .925 fine silver and weighs 40 grams. The non-ferrous metal coin with a face value of HUF 3,000 is produced from an alloy of copper (90%) and nickel (10%) and weighs 29.50 grams. 6,000 pieces can be made of the silver collector coin in proof finish and 10,000 pieces of the non-ferrous version in BU finish.

In order to promote the role of these collector coins to transfer value and educate as widely as possible, the silver coin ‘Baranya vármegye, Pécs’ will be available for purchase for three months, while stocks last, and the non-ferrous metal version for one year from the date of issuance, at its face value in the coin shop of the Hungarian Mint Ltd. (Budapest, distr. V, 7 Báthory street) and the webshop (https://www.penzvero.hu/), starting from 5 March 2024.