2,000 forint – Király kis Miklós

The production of the Hungarian folk tales animated series began in 1977 at the Pannónia Film Studio in Kecskemét. With its 100 episodes and 12.5 hours of animated material, the series introduces the viewer to the world of folk tales so authentically that on 15 October 2020, the entire series was included in the Collection of Hungarikums, and within that, our cultural heritage, with the following justification: ‘The unique visual, musical realm and narrative of Hungarian folk tales make this animated series exceptional. The kindness, humour, finesse and mischief of folk tales faithfully portray the soul, feelings and true character of our nation. In addition, the episodes of the Hungarian Folk Tales animated series, which is widely acclaimed both within and outside our borders, express eternal truths and fundamental values that render it worthy of being part of the Collection of Hungarikums.’ The Magyar Nemzeti Bank is issuing the ‘Király kis Miklós‘ collector coin as the second piece in a coins series presenting the Hungarian folk tales animated series. The collector coin, which evokes the key characters of the conflict in the fairy tales and the world of Hungarian mythologies, fits in with the visual imagery of the animated series. Its primary role is the authentic representation of the values of Hungarian folk tales and capturing folk tale traditions. The stylized folk art floral motifs and dove design running alongside the left side of the obverse of the collector coin follow the theme design of the Hungarian folk tales animated series, inspired by the first lines of János Arany's The Legend of the Wondrous Hunt: ‘From bough to bough the warbler flies / In song the voice to voice replies’. The theme design is also evoked by the characteristic braided lettering used by the designer to indicate the obligatory elements of collector coins (the inscription ‘Magyarország’ (Hungary) and the denomination ‘2000 forint’, in two lines, the mint year ‘2022’ and the mint mark ‘BP.’ in two lines). The sun in the top centre, referring to Hungarian mythology, the moon on the right and the 9 stars surrounding it, complete the obverse coin design. The celestial bodies also play a prominent role in the ‘Király kis Miklós’ folk tale, since the two key characters in the tale fight over them.