Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 100 Forint 1989, KM# 668, Hungary, 1990 Football (Soccer) World Cup in Italy
  • 100 Forint 1989, KM# 668, Hungary, 1990 Football (Soccer) World Cup in Italy
Description

The 1990 FIFA World Cup, the 14th edition of the tournament, took place from 8 June to 8 July in Italy, the second country to host it twice. A total of 116 national football associations entered, with qualification starting in April 1988. Twenty-two teams qualified, alongside host Italy and defending champions Argentina. West Germany claimed victory for the third time, defeating Argentina 1–0 in Rome's Stadio Olimpico. Italy finished third, and England fourth, both losing in penalty shootouts in the semi-finals. This tournament marked the last appearance of West Germany and teams from the Eastern Bloc before the Cold War's end in 1991. Notable moments include Cameroon's strong performance, becoming the first African team to reach the quarter-finals. Despite being considered one of the poorest World Cups in terms of gameplay, it had a lasting impact on football, introducing changes like the back-pass rule and three points for a win. With an estimated 26.69 billion non-unique viewers, it remains one of the most watched events in television history.

Engraved: László Kutas

Obverse

Depicts two football team captains shaking hands and exchanging flags before a match, surrounded by the inscriptions "FOOTBALL 1990" above and "WORLD CUP" below.

Exchanging pennants before matches is a traditional practice in international football, commonly observed in important club-level games as well. These pennants typically bear the crest of the respective national teams, occasionally replaced by national flags. This exchange symbolizes friendship and mutual respect between the captains and their countries. The pennants received from opposing teams are usually retained by the recipient country, with notable ones often showcased in museums.

LABDARÚGÓ
1990
VILÁGBAJNOKSÁG

Reverse

Depicts the denomination, the issue year, and the mintmark (BP) below, surrounded by the country name (Hungarian People's Republic), and the engraver's name on the bottom.

MAGYAR
100
FORINT
1989
BP.
NÉPKÖZTÁRSASÁG
KUTAS

Edge

100 Forint

People's Republic
KM# 668 Schön# 167 Adamo# EM107
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Nickel Brass
Weight 23.33 g
Diameter 38.61 mm
Thickness 2.9 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Budapest Mint (BP)

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