Coins of the Hungarian forint

Hungarian forint coins (forint érmék) are part of the physical form of current Hungarian currency, the Hungarian forint. Modern forint coins (distinguished from pre-20th century forint coinage) have been struck since 1946 and reflect the changes of post-World War II Hungarian history.

2nd Republic issues (1946–1948)
After the trauma of the Second World War and the hyperinflation of the pengő, the Hungarian government faced the problems of introducing a new currency. The new coins were meant to express stability and raise popular confidence. The first coins minted in 1946 were made of copper alloys for fillér coins and aluminium for 1 & 2 forint coins. The new forint was based on a gold standard, and in the first two years 5 forint coins of good quality silver were put into circulation. However, the government feared hoarding of these coins, and the national bank lowered the mass and quality of silver in the 1947 minting. The silver 5 forint coins were halted for general circulation after 1947. Aluminium 5 and 50 fillér coins were first minted in 1948.

The first commemoratives were a series of 3 coins in 1948 honoring the centennial of the 1848 revolution.

People's Republic issues (1949–1989)
In 1949 the communist party took full power. The country's name was changed to Hungarian People's Republic (Magyar Népköztársaság), which appeared on the coins. The Kossuth coat of arms was replaced with the Rákosi one (see: coat of arms of Hungary). The 2, 10 and 20 fillér coins were made of aluminium after 1950.

Following the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 the coat of arms was changed again, with the new version used from 1957 to 1989.

3rd Republic issues (1989–2011)
In 1992, after the fall of the communist government, a new series of coins was introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 forint. Production of 2 and 5 fillér coins ceased in 1992, with all fillér coins withdrawn from circulation by 1999. From 1996, a bimetallic 100 forint coin was minted to replace the 1992 version, which was considered too big and ugly and easily confused with the 20 forint coin. The 200 forint coin was made of .500 fine silver until 1994, when the price of the metal rose higher than the coin's face value. However, small issues for collectors were minted until 1998, when both the 1992 type 100 and 200 forint coins were withdrawn from circulation.

The 1 and 2 Forint coins were withdrawn from circulation on March 1, 2008, as announced in September 2007, as the cost of minting them was four times their face value. When paying with cash, the total is to be rounded to the nearest 5 forints. The 200 forint note was replaced with a new 200 forint coin on 15 June 2009, decorated with the Chain Bridge, as chosen in an internet poll in October 2008.

Reportedly, large numbers of 1 forint coins were illegally used in Canada in place of subway tokens, a highly profitable trade until the machines were reprogrammed. The 50 forint coin is confused with the UK 50 pence coin by some British vending machines.

"Hungary" issues (2012–present)
According to Hungary's new constitution, effective as of 1 January 2012, the country's official name changes from "Magyar Köztársaság" (Hungarian Republic) to "Magyarország" (Hungary). Although Hungary is still a republic, this does not appear anymore on its coinage: from 2012 Hungarian legal tender will bear the country's new official name, "Magyarország". Previously struck coins remained legal tender and in circulation.

5, 10, and 20 forint coins are expected to appear in everyday circulation in 2012, with the rest of denominations following later, fulfilling the needs of Hungary's cash circulation. The official 2012 boxed set became available for collectors on 6 January 2012. 

Remarks

 * 1) "MAGYAR ÁLLAMI VÁLTÓPÉNZ" = "Hungarian state token coin" - váltópénz literally means "small change"; here it stands to express that the metal of which the coin is made is worth less than the face value of the coin itself
 * 2) "MAGYAR KÖZTÁRSASÁG" = "Hungarian Republic"
 * 3) "MUNKA A NEMZETI JÓLÉT ALAPJA" = "Labour is the ground of national welfare"
 * 4) "M Á P V" = "Magyar Állami Pénzverde" = "Hungarian State Mint"
 * 5) "ESKÜSZÜNK ESKÜSZÜNK" = "We vow, we vow" (from the refrain of the Nemzeti dal by Sándor Petőfi)
 * 6) "A LEGNAGYOBB MAGYAR EMLÉKÉRE" = "To commemorate the greatest Hungarian" (Lajos Kossuth designated  István Széchenyi as such)
 * 7) "MAGYAR NÉPKÖZTÁRSASÁG" = "Hungarian People's Republic"