Connecting Tradition and the Future in Hungary

In a fascinating presentation at the Coin Conference in Amsterdam last October, Anikó Bódi-Schubert of Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB, the Hungarian central bank) told delegates about an ambitious programme that has brought coin collecting into the digital age.

In 2021, Hungary celebrated the 75th anniversary of the introduction its currency, the forint. The MNB wanted to commemorate the occasion not just in a traditional way, but also in an innovative way. To do this, it issued commemorative circulation coins in both physical and digital forms.

The project started with a design competition, involving 20 artists who submitted 47 different designs. The MNB held a public online vote on five selected designs, attracting considerable interest. More than 77,000 votes were cast, with the winning design, by Mónika Gyuró, receiving over 21,000 votes.