# Coins of the Hungarian pengő

Hungarian pengő coins (Hungarian: pengő érmék) were part of the physical form of Hungary's historical currency, the Hungarian pengő. Initially, higher value coins were made of silver to reflect value and stability. Later, during the second world war, these coins were replaced first by banknotes and later by aluminium coins. By the end of 1945, pengő coins completely lost their value due to rampant inflation.

## Prewar series (1926-1940)

Before World War II, the fillér and pengő coins were made of bronze (1 and 2 f), cupronickel (10-, 20-, and 50 f), and 640 ‰ fine silver (1-, 2-, and 5 P). Commemorative 2 and 5 pengő coins were issued on anniversaries in large quantities (hundreds of thousands) and were released into circulation. The coins had a Baroque style; the most important designers were János Pálinkás, Lajos Berán, and József Reményi.
Although pengő was based on a gold standard, and the quality standards of gold coins (10 and 20 pengő) were enacted, no gold coins were released into circulation due to the Great Depression.
Prewar series - Regular issues :
| Image | Image | Value | Technical parameters | Technical parameters | Technical parameters | Technical parameters | Description | Description | Description | Date of | Date of | Date of |
| Obverse | Reverse | Value | Diameter | Thickness | Mass | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse | first minting | issue | withdrawal |
| | | 1 f | 17.0 mm | 1.0 mm | 1.66 g | Bronze 95% copper 4% tin 1% zinc | Smooth | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", Holy Crown of Hungary, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1926 | 27 December 1926 | 31 December 1945 |
| | | 2 f | 19.0 mm | 1.5 mm | 3.33 g | Bronze 95% copper 4% tin 1% zinc | Smooth | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", Holy Crown of Hungary, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1926 | 27 December 1926 | 31 December 1945 |
| | | 10 f | 19.0 mm | 1.5 mm | 3.0 g | Cupronickel 75% copper 25% nickel | Smooth | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", Holy Crown of Hungary, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1926 | 27 December 1926 | 30 April 1942 |
| | | 20 f | 21.0 mm | 1.6 mm | 4.0 g | Cupronickel 75% copper 25% nickel | Smooth | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", Holy Crown of Hungary, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1926 | 27 December 1926 | 30 April 1942 |
| | | 50 f | 22.0 mm | 1.7 mm | 5.0 g | Cupronickel 75% copper 25% nickel | Milled | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", Holy Crown of Hungary, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1926 | 27 December 1926 | 30 April 1942 |
| | | 1 P | 23.0 mm | 1.5 mm | 5.0 g | 640‰ silver | Incused | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1926 | 27 December 1926 | 31 January 1942 |
| | | 2 P | 27.0 mm | 2.1 mm | 10.0 g | 640‰ silver | Incused | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms with angels, value, mintmark | "MAGYARORSZÁG VÉDASSZONYA", Madonna and Child, year of minting | 1929 | 25 June 1930 | 31 January 1942 |
| | | 5 P | 36.0 mm | 3.0 mm | 25.0 g | 640‰ silver | Incused | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms with angels, value, mintmark, year of minting | "VITÉZ NAGYBÁNYAI HORTHY MIKLÓS MAGYARORSZÁG KORMÁNYZÓJA", Miklós Horthy | 1938 | 15 March 1939 | 31 October 1945 |
| | | 10 P (trial strike) | 18.0 mm | ? mm | 2.9239765 g | 900‰ gold | Milled | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms with angels, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1927 | never | - |
| | | 20 P (trial strike) | 20.0 mm | ? mm | 5.8479531 g | 900‰ gold | Milled | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms with angels, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1927 | never | - |
| Prewar series - Commemorative issues |||||||||||||
| | | 2 P | 27.0 mm | 2.1 mm | 10.0 g | 640‰ silver | Incused | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms, value, year of minting, mintmark | "A 300 ÉVES KIR PÁZMÁNY PÉTER TUD EGYETEM ALAPÍTÁSÁNAK EMLÉKÉRE", Péter Pázmány with two students | 1935 | 25 September 1935 | 31 January 1942 |
| | | 2 P | 27.0 mm | 2.1 mm | 10.0 g | 640‰ silver | Incused | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms, value, year of minting, mintmark | "II RÁKÓCZI FERENC 1676-1735", Francis II Rákóczi | 1935 | 31 December 1935 | 31 January 1942 |
| | | 2 P | 27.0 mm | 2.1 mm | 10.0 g | 640‰ silver | Incused | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms, value, year of minting, mintmark | "LISZT FERENC A NAGY MAGYAR ZENEKÖLTŐ EMLÉKÉRE", "1811-1886", Franz Liszt | 1936 | 10 August 1936 | 31 January 1942 |
| | | 5 P | 36.0 mm | 3.0 mm | 25.0 g | 640‰ silver | Milled | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms with angels, value, mintmark | "VITÉZ NAGYBÁNYAI HORTHY MIKLÓS KORMÁNYZÓSÁGÁNAK 10 ÉVFORDULÓJÁRA", Miklós Horthy, year of minting | 1930 | 25 June 1930 | 31 October 1945 |
| | | 5 P | 36.0 mm | 3.0 mm | 25.0 g | 640‰ silver | Incused | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms, value, mintmark, year of minting | "SZT ISTVÁN", "969-1038", Stephen I of Hungary | 1938 | 12 August 1938 | 31 October 1945 |
| These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimeter, a standard for world coins. For table standards, see the coin specification table. |||||||||||||

## War series (1940-1944)

As a consequence of the war, the government recalled the silver pengő coins (deadline: 31 January 1942) to prevent personal hoarding. These were replaced by newly designed aluminium coins. Later the cupronickel 10, 20 and 50 fillér coins were recalled as well, moreover, even the bronze 1 and 2 fillér coins disappeared after a time. First, they were replaced by steel, later - in the case of the 2 fillér - with zinc coins. The war coins were redesigned by Lajos Berán. As the war escalated, none of the above metals was cheap enough to mint coins. The solution was the issuing of low denomination paper money (see there).
War series - Regular issues :
| Image | Image | Value | Technical parameters | Technical parameters | Technical parameters | Technical parameters | Description | Description | Description | Date of | Date of | Date of |
| Obverse | Reverse | Value | Diameter | Thickness | Mass | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse | first minting | issue | withdrawal |
| | | 2 f | 19.0 mm | 1.6 mm | 3.33 g | Steel | Smooth | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", Holy Crown of Hungary, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1940 | 4 November 1940 | 30 April 1941 |
| | | 2 f | 19.0 mm | 1.6 mm | 3.33 g | Steel | Brim striated Edge smooth | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", Holy Crown of Hungary, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1940 | 20 January 1941 | 31 December 1945 |
| | | 2 f | 17.0 mm | 2.0 mm | 2.0 g | Zinc | Smooth | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", Holy Crown of Hungary, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1943 | 17 February 1943 | 31 December 1945 |
| | | 10 f | 20.0 mm | 1.4 mm | 3.0 g | Steel | Smooth | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", Holy Crown of Hungary, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1940 | 4 November 1940 | 31 December 1945 |
| | | 20 f | 21.0 mm hole: 5.0 mm | 1.7 mm | 3.6 g | Steel | Smooth | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", Holy Crown of Hungary, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1941 | 11 November 1941 | 31 December 1945 |
| | | 1 P | 23.7 mm | 1.6 mm | 1.5 g | Aluminium | Milled | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms | Value, mintmark, year of minting | 1941 | 9 June 1941 | 31 December 1945 |
| | | 2 P | 28.0 mm | 2.3 mm | 2.8 g | Aluminium | Milled | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms, year of minting | Value, mintmark | 1941 | 9 June 1941 | 31 December 1945 |
| War series - Commemorative issue |||||||||||||
| | | 5 P | 36.0 mm | 2.6 mm | 6.0 g | Aluminium | Milled | "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms with angels, value, mintmark, year of minting | "VITÉZ NAGYBÁNYAI HORTHY MIKLÓS MAGYARORSZÁG KORMÁNYZÓJA SZÜLETÉSÉNEK 75 ÉVFORDULÓJÁRA", Miklós Horthy | 1943 | 8 June 1943 | 31 October 1945 |
| These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimeter, a standard for world coins. For table standards, see the coin specification table. |||||||||||||

## Postwar series (1945)

Only an aluminium 5-pengő-coin was minted under the postwar government. Due to the rampant inflation, all coins were withdrawn from circulation by the end of 1945.
Postwar series - Regular issue :
| Image | Image | Value | Technical parameters | Technical parameters | Technical parameters | Technical parameters | Description | Description | Description | Date of | Date of | Date of |
| Obverse | Reverse | Value | Diameter | Thickness | Mass | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse | first minting | issue | withdrawal |
| | | 5 P | 32.0 mm | 2.6 mm | 4.5 g | Aluminium | Milled | Coat of arms, value, mintmark, year of minting | "MAGYAR ÁLLAMI VÁLTÓPÉNZ", Hungarian Parliament Building | 1945 | 1 September 1945 | 31 December 1945 |
| These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimeter, a standard for world coins. For table standards, see the coin specification table. |||||||||||||
Source:
* (in Hungarian) www.numismatics.hu
* (in Hungarian) www.penzportal.hu

## Remarks

* "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG" = "Kingdom of Hungary"
* "MAGYARORSZÁG VÉDASSZONYA" = "Patroness of Hungary"
* "VITÉZ NAGYBÁNYAI HORTHY MIKLÓS MAGYARORSZÁG KORMÁNYZÓJA" = "Vitéz Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya, Regent of Hungary"
* "A 300 ÉVES KIR PÁZMÁNY PÉTER TUD EGYETEM ALAPÍTÁSÁNAK EMLÉKÉRE" = "Anniversary of the establishment of the 300-year-old Péter Pázmány University of Sciences"
* "LISZT FERENC A NAGY MAGYAR ZENEKÖLTŐ EMLÉKÉRE" = "To the memory of Franz Liszt, the great Hungarian composer"
* "VITÉZ NAGYBÁNYAI HORTHY MIKLÓS KORMÁNYZÓSÁGÁNAK 10 ÉVFORDULÓJÁRA" = "To the 10th anniversary of the regency of Vitéz Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya"
* "VITÉZ NAGYBÁNYAI HORTHY MIKLÓS MAGYARORSZÁG KORMÁNYZÓJA SZÜLETÉSÉNEK 75 ÉVFORDULÓJÁRA" = "To the 75th anniversary of the birth of Vitéz Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya, Regent of Hungary"
* "MAGYAR ÁLLAMI VÁLTÓPÉNZ" = "Hungarian state (or treasury) change money"