Hungarian pengő coins were part of the physical form of Hungary's historical currency, the Hungarian pengő

Hungarian pengo

The pengő was the currency of Hungary between 1 January 1927, when it replaced the korona, and 31 July 1946, when it was replaced by the forint. The pengő was subdivided into 100 fillér...

. 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 the World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, the fillér

Fillér

The fillér was the name of various small change coins throughout Hungarian history. It was the subdivision of the Austro-Hungarian and the Hungarian korona, the pengő and the forint. The name derives from the German word Vierer that means 'number four' in English. Originally it was the name of the...

 and pengő coins were made of bronze (1 and 2 f), cupronickel (10, 20, and 50 f), and 640 ‰ fine

Millesimal fineness

Millesimal fineness is a system of denoting the purity of platinum, gold and silver alloys by parts per thousand of pure metal by mass in the alloy. For example, an alloy containing 75% gold is denoted as "750". Many European countries use decimal hallmark stamps Millesimal fineness is a system of...

 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 Baroque

Baroque

The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...

 style, the most important designers were János Pálinkás, Lajos Berán

Lajos Berán

thumb|right|360px|Lajos Berán: Saint Stephen of Hungary on the 5 pengő coin 1938Lajos Berán was a Hungarian sculptor and artist noted for his medal work....

, and József Reményi.

Although pengő was based on gold standard, and the quality standards of gold coins (10 and 20 pengő) were enacted

Promulgation

Promulgation is the act of formally proclaiming or declaring a new statutory or administrative law after its enactment. In some jurisdictions this additional step is necessary before the law can take effect....

, no gold coins were released into circulation due to the Great Depression

Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...

.

Prewar series - Regular issues
Image		Value	Technical parameters				Description			Date of
Obverse	Reverse		Diameter	Thickness	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	issue	withdrawal
		1 f	17.0 mm	1.0 mm	1.66 g	Bronze Bronze Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal... 95% copper Copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish... 4% tin Tin Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4... 1% zinc Zinc Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...	Smooth	"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG",1 Holy Crown of Hungary Crown of St. Stephen The Holy Crown of Hungary , also known as the Crown of Saint Stephen, was the coronation crown used by the Kingdom of Hungary for most of its existence.The Crown was bound to the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen, The Holy Crown of Hungary (Hungarian: Magyar Szent Korona, German: Stephanskrone,... , year of minting	Value, mintmark	1926	27 December 1926	31 December 1945
		2 f	19.0 mm	1.5 mm	3.33 g
		10 f	19.0 mm	1.5 mm	3.0 g	Cupronickel Cupronickel Cupronickel or copper-nickel or "cupernickel" is an alloy of copper that contains nickel and strengthening elements, such as iron and manganese. Cupronickel is highly resistant to corrosion in seawater, because its electrode potential is adjusted to be neutral with regard to seawater... 75% copper Copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish... 25% nickel Nickel Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...	Smooth	"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", Holy Crown of Hungary Crown of St. Stephen The Holy Crown of Hungary , also known as the Crown of Saint Stephen, was the coronation crown used by the Kingdom of Hungary for most of its existence.The Crown was bound to the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen, The Holy Crown of Hungary (Hungarian: Magyar Szent Korona, German: Stephanskrone,... , year of minting	Value, mintmark	1926	27 December 1926	30 April 1942
		20 f	21.0 mm	1.6 mm	4.0 g
		50 f	22.0 mm	1.7 mm	5.0 g		Milled
		1 P	23.0 mm	1.5 mm	5.0 g	640‰ silver Silver Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...	Incused	"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms Coat of arms of Hungary The current coat of arms of Hungary was adopted on July 3, 1990, after the end of communist rule. The arms have been used before, both with and without the Holy Crown of Hungary, sometimes as part of a larger, more complex coat of arms, and its elements date back to the Middle Ages.The shield is... , year of minting				31 January 1942
		2 P	27.0 mm	2.1 mm	10.0 g			"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms Coat of arms of Hungary The current coat of arms of Hungary was adopted on July 3, 1990, after the end of communist rule. The arms have been used before, both with and without the Holy Crown of Hungary, sometimes as part of a larger, more complex coat of arms, and its elements date back to the Middle Ages.The shield is...  with angels, value, mintmark	"MAGYARORSZÁG VÉDASSZONYA",2 Madonna and Child, year of minting	1929	25 June 1930
		5 P	36.0 mm	3.0 mm	25.0 g			"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms Coat of arms of Hungary The current coat of arms of Hungary was adopted on July 3, 1990, after the end of communist rule. The arms have been used before, both with and without the Holy Crown of Hungary, sometimes as part of a larger, more complex coat of arms, and its elements date back to the Middle Ages.The shield is...  with angels, value, mintmark, year of minting	"VITÉZ NAGYBÁNYAI HORTHY MIKLÓS MAGYARORSZÁG KORMÁNYZÓJA",3 Miklós Horthy Miklós Horthy Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya was the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary" .Admiral Horthy was an officer of the...	1938	15 March 1939	31 October 1945
		10 P (trial strike)	18.0 mm	? mm	2.9239765 g	900‰ gold Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...	Milled	"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms Coat of arms of Hungary The current coat of arms of Hungary was adopted on July 3, 1990, after the end of communist rule. The arms have been used before, both with and without the Holy Crown of Hungary, sometimes as part of a larger, more complex coat of arms, and its elements date back to the Middle Ages.The shield is...  with angels, year of minting	Value, mintmark	1927	never	-
		20 P (trial strike)	20.0 mm	? mm	5.8479531 g
Prewar series - Commemorative issues
		2 P	27.0 mm	2.1 mm	10.0 g	640‰ silver Silver Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...	Incused	"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms Coat of arms of Hungary The current coat of arms of Hungary was adopted on July 3, 1990, after the end of communist rule. The arms have been used before, both with and without the Holy Crown of Hungary, sometimes as part of a larger, more complex coat of arms, and its elements date back to the Middle Ages.The shield is... , value, year of minting, mintmark	"A 300 ÉVES KIR PÁZMÁNY PÉTER TUD EGYETEM ALAPÍTÁSÁNAK EMLÉKÉRE",4 Péter Pázmány Péter Pázmány Péter Pázmány de Panasz was a Hungarian philosopher, theologian, catholic cardinal, pulpit orator and statesman. He was an important figure in the Counter-Reformation in Royal Hungary. He worked to convert Protestants back to Catholicism in Hungary.His most important legacy was his creation of the...  with two students	1935	25 September 1935	31 January 1942
		2 P							"II RÁKÓCZI FERENC 1676-1735", Francis II Rákóczi Francis II Rákóczi Francis II Rákóczi Hungarian aristocrat, he was the leader of the Hungarian uprising against the Habsburgs in 1703-11 as the prince of the Estates Confederated for Liberty of the Kingdom of Hungary. He was also Prince of Transylvania, an Imperial Prince, and a member of the Order of the Golden...		31 December 1935
		2 P							"LISZT FERENC A NAGY MAGYAR ZENEKÖLTŐ EMLÉKÉRE",5 "1811-1886", Franz Liszt Franz Liszt Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...	1936	10 August 1936
		5 P	36.0 mm	3.0 mm	25.0 g		Milled	"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms Coat of arms of Hungary The current coat of arms of Hungary was adopted on July 3, 1990, after the end of communist rule. The arms have been used before, both with and without the Holy Crown of Hungary, sometimes as part of a larger, more complex coat of arms, and its elements date back to the Middle Ages.The shield is...  with angels, value, mintmark	"VITÉZ NAGYBÁNYAI HORTHY MIKLÓS KORMÁNYZÓSÁGÁNAK 10 ÉVFORDULÓJÁRA",6 Miklós Horthy Miklós Horthy Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya was the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary" .Admiral Horthy was an officer of the... , year of minting	1930	25 June 1930	31 October 1945
		5 P					Incused	"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms Coat of arms of Hungary The current coat of arms of Hungary was adopted on July 3, 1990, after the end of communist rule. The arms have been used before, both with and without the Holy Crown of Hungary, sometimes as part of a larger, more complex coat of arms, and its elements date back to the Middle Ages.The shield is... , value, mintmark, year of minting	"SZT ISTVÁN", "969-1038", Stephen I of Hungary	1938	12 August 1938
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

Lajos Berán

thumb|right|360px|Lajos Berán: Saint Stephen of Hungary on the 5 pengő coin 1938Lajos Berán was a Hungarian sculptor and artist noted for his medal work....

. As the war escalated, non 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		Value	Technical parameters				Description			Date of
Obverse	Reverse		Diameter	Thickness	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	issue	withdrawal
		2 f	19.0 mm	1.6 mm	3.33 g	Steel Steel Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...	Smooth	"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", Holy Crown of Hungary Crown of St. Stephen The Holy Crown of Hungary , also known as the Crown of Saint Stephen, was the coronation crown used by the Kingdom of Hungary for most of its existence.The Crown was bound to the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen, The Holy Crown of Hungary (Hungarian: Magyar Szent Korona, German: Stephanskrone,... , year of minting	Value, mintmark	1940	4 November 1940	30 April 1941
		2 f					Brim striated Edge smooth				20 January 1941	31 December 1945
		2 f	17.0 mm	2.0 mm	2.0 g	Zinc Zinc Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...	Smooth			1943	17 February 1943
		10 f	20.0 mm	1.4 mm	3.0 g	Steel Steel Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...				1940	4 November 1940
		20 f	21.0 mm hole: 5.0 mm	1.7 mm	3.6 g					1941	11 November 1941
		1 P	23.7 mm	1.6 mm	1.5 g	Aluminium Aluminium Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....	Milled	"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms Coat of arms of Hungary The current coat of arms of Hungary was adopted on July 3, 1990, after the end of communist rule. The arms have been used before, both with and without the Holy Crown of Hungary, sometimes as part of a larger, more complex coat of arms, and its elements date back to the Middle Ages.The shield is...	Value, mintmark, year of minting		9 June 1941
		2 P	28.0 mm	2.3 mm	2.8 g			"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms Coat of arms of Hungary The current coat of arms of Hungary was adopted on July 3, 1990, after the end of communist rule. The arms have been used before, both with and without the Holy Crown of Hungary, sometimes as part of a larger, more complex coat of arms, and its elements date back to the Middle Ages.The shield is... , year of minting	Value, mintmark
War series - Commemorative issue
		5 P	36.0 mm	2.6 mm	6.0 g	Aluminium Aluminium Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....	Milled	"MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG", coat of arms Coat of arms of Hungary The current coat of arms of Hungary was adopted on July 3, 1990, after the end of communist rule. The arms have been used before, both with and without the Holy Crown of Hungary, sometimes as part of a larger, more complex coat of arms, and its elements date back to the Middle Ages.The shield is...  with angels, value, mintmark, year of minting	"VITÉZ NAGYBÁNYAI HORTHY MIKLÓS MAGYARORSZÁG KORMÁNYZÓJA SZÜLETÉSÉNEK 75 ÉVFORDULÓJÁRA",7 Miklós Horthy Miklós Horthy Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya was the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary" .Admiral Horthy was an officer of the...	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		Value	Technical parameters				Description			Date of
Obverse	Reverse		Diameter	Thickness	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	issue	withdrawal
		5 P	32.0 mm	2.6 mm	4.5 g	Aluminium Aluminium Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....	Milled	Coat of arms Coat of arms of Hungary The current coat of arms of Hungary was adopted on July 3, 1990, after the end of communist rule. The arms have been used before, both with and without the Holy Crown of Hungary, sometimes as part of a larger, more complex coat of arms, and its elements date back to the Middle Ages.The shield is... , value, mintmark, year of minting	"MAGYAR ÁLLAMI VÁTÓPÉNZ",8 Hungarian Parliament Building Hungarian Parliament Building The Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings, a notable landmark of Hungary and a popular tourist destination of Budapest. It lies in Lajos Kossuth Square, on the bank of the Danube, in Budapest...	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: www.numismatics.hu www.penzportal.hu

Remarks

1. "MAGYAR KIRÁLYSÁG" = "Kingdom of Hungary"
2. "MAGYARORSZÁG VÉDASSZONYA" = "Patroness
   Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary
   A list of Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary by occupations and activities, dioceses, and other places:- Occupations and activities :The Blessed Virgin Mary may be taken as a patroness of any good activity; indeed, she is cited as the patroness of all humanity...
   
    of Hungary"
3. "VITÉZ NAGYBÁNYAI HORTHY MIKLÓS MAGYARORSZÁG KORMÁNYZÓJA" = "Vitéz
   Vitéz
   Vitéz, or Order of Vitéz was a Hungarian order of merit which was founded in 1678. It was awarded as a state honour during two periods of Hungarian history...
   
    Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya
   Baia Mare
   Baia Mare is a municipality in northwestern Romania and the capital of Maramureş County. The city is situated about 600 kilometres from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, 70 kilometres from the border with Hungary and 50 kilometres from the border with Ukraine...
   
   , Regent
   Regent
   A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
   
    of Hungary"
4. "A 300 ÉVES KIR PÁZMÁNY PÉTER TUD EGYETEM ALAPÍTÁSÁNAK EMLÉKÉRE" = "Anniversary of the establishment of the 300-year-old Péter Pázmány University of Sciences"
5. "LISZT FERENC A NAGY MAGYAR ZENEKÖLTŐ EMLÉKÉRE" = "To the memory of Franz Liszt
   Franz Liszt
   Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
   
   , the great Hungarian composer"
6. "VITÉZ NAGYBÁNYAI HORTHY MIKLÓS KORMÁNYZÓSÁGÁNAK 10 ÉVFORDULÓJÁRA" = "To the 10th anniversary of the regency of Vitéz Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya"
7. "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"
8. "MAGYAR ÁLLAMI VÁLTÓPÉNZ" = "Hungarian state (or treasury) change money"