Wikipedia

Hungarian forint

Theforint(signFt;codeHUF) is the currency ofHungary.It was formerly divided into 100fillér,but fillér coins are no longer in circulation. The introduction of the forint on 1 August 1946 was a crucial step in the post-World War IIstabilisation of theHungarian economy,and the currency remained relatively stable until the 1980s. Transition to amarket economyin the early 1990s adversely affected the value of the forint; inflation peaked at 35% in 1991. Between 2001 and 2022, inflation was in single digits, and the forint has been declared fullyconvertible.[1]In May 2022, inflation reached 10.7% amid theRussian invasion of Ukraineand economic uncertainty.[2]As a member of theEuropean Union,the long-term aim of the Hungarian government may be toreplacethe forint with theeuro,although under the current government there is no target date for adopting the euro.[3]

Hungarian forint
Magyar forint(Hungarian)
Hungarian forint banknotes
ISO 4217
CodeHUF (numeric:348)
Subunit0.01
Unit
Pluralforintok (nominative only)
SymbolFt‎
Denominations
Subunit
 1⁄100fillér
(defunct)
Banknotes500 Ft, 1,000 Ft, 2,000 Ft, 5,000 Ft, 10,000 Ft, 20,000 Ft
Coins
 Freq. used5 Ft, 10 Ft, 20 Ft, 50 Ft, 100 Ft, 200 Ft
Demographics
Date of introduction1 August 1946
ReplacedHungarian adópengő
User(s)HungaryHungary
Issuance
Central bankHungarian National Bank
 Websitewww.mnb.hu
PrinterHungarian Banknote Printing Company
 Websitewww.penzjegynyomda.hu
MintHungarian Mint Ltd.
 Websitewww.penzvero.hu
Valuation
Inflation3.8% (January 2024)
 Sourcewww.ksh.hu
 MethodCPI

History

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Forint ofLouis I of Hungary(1342–1382). Reverse:LODOVICVS DEI GRACIA REX.Obverse:S[ANCTVS] IOHANNES B[APTISTA].
Forint ofMatthias Corvinus of Hungary(1458–1490). Obverse:S[ANCTVS]LADISLAVSREX.Reverse:MATHIAS D[EI] G[RATIA] R[EX] VNGARIE.

The forint's name comes from the city ofFlorence,where gold coins calledfiorino d'orowere minted from 1252. In Hungary, theflorentinus(laterforint), also a gold-based currency, was used from 1325 underCharles Robert,with several other countries following Hungary's example.[4]

Between 1868 and 1892, the forint was the name used inHungarianfor the currency of theAustro-Hungarian Empire,known in German as theGulden.It was subdivided into 100krajczár(krajcárin modern Hungarian orthography; cf GermanKreuzer).[5]

The forint was reintroduced on 1 August 1946, after thepengőwas rendered worthless by massivehyperinflationin 1945–46, the highest ever recorded. This was brought about by a mixture of the high demand for reparations from theUSSR,Soviet plundering of Hungarian industries, and the holding of Hungary's gold reserves in theUnited States.[6]The different parties in the government had different plans to solve this problem. To theIndependent Smallholders' Party–which had won a large majority in the1945 Hungarian parliamentary election–as well as theSocial Democrats,outside support was essential. However, the Soviet Union and its local supporters in theHungarian Communist Partywere opposed to raising loans in the West, and thus the Communist Party masterminded the procedure using exclusively domestic resources. The Communist plan called for tight limits on personal spending, as well as the concentration of existing stocks[clarification needed]in state hands.[7]

When the forint was introduced, its value was defined on the basis of 1 kilogram of fine gold being 13,210 Ft (or 1 Ft = 75.7 mg fine gold). Therefore, given that gold was fixed at £8 8s (£8.40 in modern decimal notation) sterling per troy ounce, one pound sterling was at that time worth about 49 forint.

Coins

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Main article:Coins of the Hungarian forint

In 1946, coins were introduced in denominations of 2, 10, 20 fillérs and 1, 2, 5 forints. The silver 5 forint coin was reissued only in the next year; later it was withdrawn from circulation. Five and 50 fillérs coins were issued in 1948. In 1967, a 5 forint coin was reintroduced, followed by a 10 forint in 1971 and 20 forint in 1982.

In 1992, a new series of coins was introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and (a somewhat different, 500‰silver) 200 forint. Production of the 2 and 5 fillér coins ceased in 1992, with all fillér coins withdrawn from circulation by 1999. From 1996, abicolor100 forint coin was minted to replace the 1992 version, since the latter was considered too big and ugly, and could easily be mistaken for the 20 forint coin.

Silver 200 forint coins were withdrawn in 1998 (as their nominal value was too low compared to their precious metal content); the 1 and 2 forint coins remained legal tender until 29 February 2008.[8]For cash purchases, the total price is nowroundedto the nearest multiple of 5 forint (to 0 or to 5).[9]A new 200 forint coin[10]made of base metal alloy was introduced in place of the 200 forint banknote on 15 June 2009.

Banknotes

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Main article:Banknotes of the Hungarian forint

In 1946, 10 and 100 forint notes were introduced by theHungarian National Bank.A new series of higher quality banknotes (in denominations of 10, 20 and 100 forints) were introduced in 1947 and 1948. 50 forint notes were added in 1953, 500 forint notes were introduced in 1970, followed by 1,000 forints in 1983, and 5,000 forints in 1991.

A completely redesigned new series of banknotes in denominations of 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 forints was introduced gradually between 1997 and 2001. Each banknote depicts a famous Hungarian leader or politician on the obverse and a place or event related to him on the reverse. All of the banknotes arewatermarked,contain an embedded vertical security strip and are suitable for visually impaired people. The 1,000 forints and higher denominations are protected by an interwovenholographicsecurity strip. The notes share the common size of 154 mm × 70 mm (6.1 in × 2.8 in). The banknotes are printed by the Hungarian Banknote Printing Corp. in Budapest on paper manufactured by the Diósgyőr Papermill inMiskolc.

Commemorative banknotes have also been issued recently: 1,000 and 2,000 forint notes to commemorate the millennium (in 2000) and a 500-forint note to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the1956 revolution(in 2006).

The 200-forint banknote was withdrawn from circulation in 2009, as its value inflated over time.[11]The banknote was replaced by a bimetallic 200-forint coin featuring the iconicSzéchenyi Chain Bridge.[12]

Forgery of forint banknotes is not significant. However, forged 20,000 forint notes printed on the paper of 2,000 forint notes after dissolving the original ink might come up and are not easy to recognize. Another denomination preferred by counterfeiters was the 1,000 forint note until improved security features were added in 2006.

Worn banknotes no longer fit for circulation are withdrawn, destroyed and turned intobriquetteswhich are donated to public benefit (charitable) organizations to be used as heating fuel.[13]

In 2014, a new revised version of the 1997 banknote series was gradually put into circulation beginning with the 10,000 Ft banknote in 2014 and completed with the 500 Ft banknote in 2019.

In 2022 afterRussia's invasion of Ukraine,the EUR-HUF exchange rate breached the 400 forints per 1 euro line for the first time, but rates at that level or higher lasted until the end of 2022. Some time later, the forint also depreciated against the US dollar, breaching the same line.[14][15]The forint returned to less than 400 forints per 1 euro in January 2023.[14]Against the US dollar the forint strengthened more markedly, returning to levels below 400 in November 2022 and below 350 in April 2023.

Current exchange rates

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Current HUF exchange rates
FromGoogle Finance: AUDCADCHFCNYEURGBPHKDJPYUSDTRY
FromYahoo! Finance: AUDCADCHFCNYEURGBPHKDJPYUSDTRY
FromXE: AUDCADCHFCNYEURGBPHKDJPYUSDTRY
From OANDA: AUDCADCHFCNYEURGBPHKDJPYUSDTRY

Historic rates

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Forints per dollar, euro, etc.

See also

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References

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  1. ^BBC NewsHungary lifts last currency restrictions. 18 June 2001
  2. ^"1.1.1.2. Consumer price index by aggregate groups of consumption, and consumer price index for pensioners".ksh.hu.Retrieved16 July2022.
  3. ^Szakacs, Gergely (18 October 2021)."Hungary's new opposition PM candidate wants stronger ties with EU".Reuters.Retrieved16 January2022.
  4. ^Engel, Pál, 1938-2001. (2001).The realm of St. Stephen: a history of medieval Hungary, 895-1526.London: I.B. Tauris.ISBN1-4175-4080-X.OCLC56676014.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^"A stable currency in search of a stable Empire? The Austro-Hungarian experience of monetary union".History & Policy. 19 April 2017.
  6. ^"GLOSSARY".rev.hu.Retrieved10 January2021.
  7. ^"An Attempt at a New, Democratic Start: 1944–1946". The Institute for the History of the 1956 Revolution.
  8. ^[1]Archived21 February 2009 at theWayback Machine1 and 2 forint coins were withdrawn from use from 1 March 2008.
  9. ^[2]Archived21 February 2009 at theWayback MachineThe sum of total purchases is rounded
  10. ^[3]Archived4 March 2010 at theWayback MachineThe new 200 forint coin
  11. ^"Coins to replace 200 forint banknotes".mnb.hu.Retrieved26 March2022.
  12. ^"Coins".mnb.hu.Retrieved26 March2022.
  13. ^Calling for MNB-tender for public benefit organizations (MNB-pályázat közhasznú szervezetek számára)
  14. ^ab"ECB euro reference exchange rate: Hungarian forint (HUF)".European Central Bank(in Hungarian).Retrieved16 July2022.
  15. ^"US Dollar (USD) to Hungarian Forint (HUF) exchange rate history".exchangerates.org.uk.Retrieved16 July2022.

Further reading

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  • Gyula Rádóczy; Géza Tasnádi (1992).Magyar papírpénzek 1848–1992 (Hungarian paper money 1848–1992).Danubius Kódex Kiadói Kft.ISBN963-7434-11-9.
  • Károly Leányfalusi; Ádám Nagy (1998).Magyarország fém- és papírpénzei 1926–1998 (Coins and paper money of Hungary 1926–1998).Magyar Éremgyűjtők Egyesülete, Budapest.ISBN963-03-6023-3.
  • Károly Léányfalusi; Ádám Nagy (2006).Magyarország fém- és papírpénzei 1946–2006 (Coins and paper money of Hungary 1964–2006).Magyar Éremgyűjtők Egyesülete, Budapest.ISBN978-963-7122-16-3.
  • Mihály Kupa id. dr. (1993).Corpus notarum pecuniariarum Hungariae I–II. (Magyar Egyetemes Pénzjegytár) (General Hungarian Banknote Catalog).Informatika Történeti Múzeum Alapítvány, Budapest.ISBN963-04-3658-2.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related toHungarian forint.
Preceded by:
Hungarian pengő
Reason:inflation
Ratio:1 forint =4×1029pengő (theoretically) 		Currency ofHungary
1 August 1946 –
Concurrent with:adópengő until 30 September 1946 		Succeeded by:
Current
Preceded by:
Hungarian adópengő
Reason:inflation
Ratio:1 forint = 200,000,000 adópengő
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hungarian_forint&oldid=1249926297"