Obverse. Photo © Magyar Nemzeti Bank
  • 2000 Forint 2017, KM# 919, Hungary, 200th Anniversary of Birth of János Arany
  • 2000 Forint 2017, KM# 919, Hungary, 200th Anniversary of Birth of János Arany
Description

János Arany (1817–1882) was a Hungarian poet, writer, translator, and journalist, often called the "Shakespeare of ballads." He wrote over 102 ballads translated into more than 50 languages and is well-known for the Toldi trilogy. Born in Nagyszalonta, Kingdom of Hungary, he was the youngest of ten children but one of only two to survive childhood. Arany studied at the Reformed College of Debrecen, briefly joined an acting troupe, and later worked as a teacher, newspaper editor, and clerk. His writing won acclaim, notably with "Az elveszett alkotmány," and he formed a close friendship with Sándor Petőfi. Arany's daughter’s death in 1865 led to a hiatus in his poetry until he began the Őszikék cycle in 1877. He died in Budapest in 1882.

Arany translated three of Shakespeare's plays into Hungarian, producing some of the finest translations in the language. His epic poetry, such as "The Death of King Buda," shapes the popular view of Hungarian history. Notable works include "A Walesi Bárdok" and "Dante," the latter praised for its profound reflection on human life. Arany's legacy endures, ranking him among Hungary's greatest poets alongside Sándor Petőfi, Endre Ady, Miklós Radnóti, and Attila József.

Engraver: Vilmos Király

Obverse

Depicts the half-length portrait of János Arany in his later years. On the right side, above, is János Arany's signature, in the middle, arranged in two lines, are the birth and death years "1817" and "1882," respectively, and below, in four lines, is a quote from Arany János's work "The Bards of Wales": "THE SONG CONFESSES ON ITS OWN". On the left edge, below, the engraver's privy mark is placed.

Arany János
1817
1882
,,KOBZÁN
A DAL
MAGÁRA
VALL”
KV

Reverse

Depicts the statue of Miklós Toldi located at the base of the János Arany monument, created by Alajos Stróbl. Along the edge, in a circular inscription, the denomination and "FORINT" are on the top left, while on the right side is a quote from János Arany's work "Toldi": "IT SEEMS I SEE HIS TOWERING FIGURE". At the bottom is the inscription "HUNGARY". Separating the two circular inscriptions on the left side, in two lines, are the mint mark "BP." and the issue year "2017." Under at least tenfold magnification, microtext appears within the mint mark.

Toldi, a narrative poem by János Arany written in 1846, gained him widespread recognition and caught the attention of Sándor Petőfi. Arany began writing "The Lost Constitution" in 1845, winning the Kisfaludy Society's epic poem contest, which motivated him to refine his work further. Inspired by legends of Miklós Toldi and Ilosvai Selymes Péter's version, Arany entered another Kisfaludy Society contest in 1846, calling for a folk-style poem about a historical figure. "Toldi" won the contest and increased the prize to twenty gold coins, earning critical acclaim and establishing Arany as a celebrated poet. A year later, he was elected to the Kisfaludy Society.

2000 FORINT ,,RÉMLIK, MINTHA LÁTNÁM TERMETES NÖVÉSÉT”
BP.
2017
MAGYARORSZÁG

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Copper Nickel
Weight 30.8 g
Diameter 38 mm
Thickness 3.5 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Budapest Mint (BP)

Related coins

200th Anniversary of Birth of János Arany

Silver, 31.46 g, ⌀ 38.61 mm