Hungary 2000 Forint 2020

History

2000 Forint 2020, Adamo# EM407, Hungary, 30th Anniversary of the Constitutional Court of Hungary

Obverse. Photo © Magyar Nemzeti Bank

Description

The Constitutional Court of Hungary, established during the regime change as a constitutional reform, is modeled primarily after Germany's system. It protects individual rights against potential legislative overreach, ensuring the constitutional state’s principles are upheld. The Court was officially founded on October 19, 1989, and began operations on January 1, 1990, with its initial seat in Esztergom. The Court's fifteen members, elected by Parliament for twelve-year non-renewable terms, must possess either outstanding theoretical legal knowledge or at least twenty years of professional legal experience. The Court's creation and functions were a result of tripartite political reconciliation talks, and its role is to promote a state governed by the rule of law while safeguarding constitutional order and fundamental rights.

Engraver: Balázs Bitó

Obverse	Book Golden bull Depicts a detail of the authentic copy of the Golden Bull from around 1318. To the left of the depiction, in two vertical lines, are the inscriptions "CONSTITUTIONAL COURT" and "THE SUPREME PROTECTOR OF THE CONSTITUTION." At the bottom of the left edge is the founding year "1990" is visible. The Golden Bull of 1222, issued by King Andrew II of Hungary, was a landmark edict that imposed constitutional limits on royal power, making it one of the earliest examples of such constraints in Europe. Compelled by his nobles, Andrew II accepted the Golden Bull at the 1222 Diet of Fehérvár. The edict established the rights of the Hungarian nobility, including the right to resist the king if he acted unlawfully (jus resistendi). It exempted the nobles and the church from taxes, prohibited forced participation in wars outside Hungary, and ensured the principle of equality among the nobility. Seven copies of the Golden Bull were made for various significant entities, including the Pope and the Knights Templar. The creation of the Golden Bull was driven by the rise of a middle-class nobility in Hungary's feudal system. King Andrew II's frequent property donations to loyal servants elevated their economic and social status, altering the nation's class structure. To ease tensions between the hereditary nobles and the emerging middle-class nobility, Andrew issued the Golden Bull of 1222. This document is often compared to England's Magna Carta, as both served as foundational constitutional charters in their respective nations. 1990 ALKOTMÁNYBÍRÓSÁG AZ ALAPTÖRVÉNY LEGFŐBB ŐRE
Reverse	Order, medal etc. Medallion Depicts a detail of the chain worn by constitutional judges, featuring a medallion shaped like the seal of the Golden Bull. Around the edge, in a circular inscription, the denomination and the word "FORINT" are on the top left, and the word "HUNGARY" is on the bottom right. Above it in two lines, are the mint mark "BP." and the year of issue "2020." The engraver's privy mark is located on the bottom left edge. 2000 FORINT BP. 2020 BB MAGYARORSZÁG
Edge	Inscribed (lettered) Repeats the inscription on the obverse in Latin: "The Constitutional Court is the supreme protector of the Constitution." CURIA CONSTITUTIONALIS SUPREMUS PROTECTOR CONSTITUTIONIS EST •