Description
At the meeting of the Hungarian Diet in Pozsony on 3 November 1825, Count István Széchenyi – one of the leaders of the Hungarian reform movement – donated one year’s income from his estates, amounting to 60,000 forints, to establish the Hungarian Learned Society. The founding of the Society was then later enacted by the Diet in Act XI of 1827. The Society, as the predecessor of today’s Hungarian Academy of Sciences, held its first meeting in Pozsony on 17 November 1830, at which it elected József Teleki as President and István Széchenyi as Vice-President, and appointed the first 23 full members. The Society quickly became a driving force in Hungary’s intellectual life, with its six sections organising competitions in various scientific fields and also publishing books. The name of the Society was changed to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 1840.
Front: The front of the coin depicts the current headquarters of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, which was founded in 1825 at the initiative of István Széchenyi, and its surroundings, with the Chain Bridge in the foreground. Construction of the neo-renaissance palace, designed by the German architect Friedrich August Stüler, started in spring 1862 and was completed in 1865. Showing the headquarters in its urban landscape symbolises how the Academy of Sciences has played a central role in Hungary at the heart of scientific life. The master mark of sculptor Gábor Veres, who designed the front, is found on the right side, in front of the building. The mandatory elements are also found on the front: the legend “MAGYARORSZÁG” (Hungary) the denomination “20 000” and “FORINT”, the mint mark “BP.” and mint date “2025”.
Back: The back of the coin features an image of the relief plaque entitled “Foundation of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences” (1891) by Barnabás Holló. Above it, the legend “1825” refers to the date of foundation, while the legend below in four lines reads “200 ÉVES | A MAGYAR TUDOMÁNYOS | AKADÉMIA” (200 years | Hungarian | Academy | of Sciences). The master mark of sculptor Mihály Fritz, who designed the back, is located on the left in the plaque.
