100 forint – 175 years of the Hungarian Defence Forces

To mark the 175th anniversary of the Hungarian Defence Forces, the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB) is issuing a 100-forint commemorative circulation coin on 23 May 2023. The special coin highlights the symbolic elements of the logo of the Hungarian Defence Forces, commemorating the values and traditions of the historical past and the military history that are still relevant today. The thematic side of the coin was designed by sculptor Zoltán Kovács and will be released in 1 million pieces from the day of issuance. In addition to the struggle for individual liberties, the Hungarian War of Independence in 1848-1849 also aimed to establish national autonomy. An important step in this process was the establishment of the Hungarian Defence Forces. On 16 May 1848, Lajos Kossuth, the Minister of Defence of the first accountable Hungarian government, published his famous proclamation on the establishment of the Hungarian Defence Battalions, thereby creating the first centrally organised Hungarian army, which celebrates its 175th anniversary this year. The main task of the Hungarian Defence Forces is currently to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and to strengthen the collective defence of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Its further tasks include contributing to other allied missions undertaken jointly in partnership and in accordance with international treaties, peace support and humanitarian operations, response to major industrial and natural disasters, and advanced training of allied military and civilian law enforcement forces, including outside the NATO and the European Union. To mark the 175th anniversary of the Hungarian Defence Forces, the MNB is issuing a 100-forint commemorative circulation coin on 23 May 2023. The issuance coincides with the Day of the Hungarian Defence Forces, which has been observed since 1992 pursuant to a government decree to commemorate the recapture of Buda Castle by the Hungarian Defence Forces on 21 May 1849 after a three-week siege, the climax of the spring campaign in the Hungarian War of Independence. The face value side of the 100-forint bicolour coin, to be issued, is identical to the face value side of the current circulation coin of the same denomination, but on the thematic side the usual coat of arms design is replaced by motifs representing the core values of the Hungarian Defence Forces and elements from its logo. The coin was designed by sculptor Zoltán Kovács.