{"product_id":"hungary-1000-forint-2024-p-203-unc-black-army-king-matthias-corvinus-visegrad","title":"Hungary P203 1000 forint 2024 UNC—King Built Superpower \u0026 Finest Library after Vatican","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA modern Hungarian banknote bearing the face of a medieval king who built one of Europe’s finest libraries, commanded one of its first professional armies, and is still remembered in folklore as the ruler who walked among his people in disguise.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBanknote Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dark blue print; multicolour light blue and yellow underprint\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hungarian_National_Bank\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMagyar Nemzeti Bank\u003c\/a\u003e (Hungarian National Bank)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYear:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2024\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReferences:\u003c\/strong\u003e P-203\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hungarian_forint\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eForint\u003c\/a\u003e (1946–present)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCountry:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hungary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHungary\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e UNC (Uncirculated)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFront (Obverse)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePortrait:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Matthias_Corvinus\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKing Matthias Corvinus\u003c\/a\u003e — Hungary’s greatest Renaissance monarch, reigned 1458–1490\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCoat of arms:\u003c\/strong\u003e The \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Coat_of_arms_of_Hungary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHungarian coat of arms\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVignette:\u003c\/strong\u003e A town scene evoking the royal Hungary of Matthias’s era\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSecurity feature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hologram\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBack (Reverse)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCentral vignette:\u003c\/strong\u003e The \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hercules_Fountain\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHercules Fountain\u003c\/a\u003e at \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Visegr%C3%A1d_Castle\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eVisegrád Castle\u003c\/a\u003e — once the seat of Hungarian kings, a symbol of the kingdom’s golden age\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBackground elements:\u003c\/strong\u003e Two old Hungarian gold coins; a priest reading a book — a reference to the scholarly and ecclesiastical culture Matthias patronized\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout King Matthias Corvinus\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Matthias_Corvinus\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMatthias Corvinus\u003c\/a\u003e (1443–1490) was one of medieval Europe’s most powerful and cultured rulers — King of Hungary from 1458, later also ruling parts of Austria and Bohemia. \u003cstrong\u003eHe built the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bibliotheca_Corviniana\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCorvina Library\u003c\/a\u003e, one of Europe’s finest manuscript collections, second only to the Vatican at the time.\u003c\/strong\u003e He commanded the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Black_Army_of_Hungary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBlack Army\u003c\/a\u003e, one of Europe’s first professional standing forces, which expanded Hungary’s borders and made it a regional superpower respected from the Holy Roman Empire to the Balkans. Celebrated in folklore as \u003cem\u003e“Matthias the Just”\u003c\/em\u003e, he is remembered across Central Europe as a wise king who disguised himself to walk among his people.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Hungary\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Budapest\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBudapest\u003c\/a\u003e (city ~1.7 million; metro ~3.3 million)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~9.7 million (UN 2023) — similar to North Carolina or Michigan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 93,028 km² (35,918 mi²) — similar to Indiana or Portugal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita at \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$43,000 USD (IMF 2024) — ranks ~45th out of 193 globally\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Vehicles, machinery, electronics, pharmaceuticals\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders (current):\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Austria\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAustria\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Slovakia\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSlovakia\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ukraine\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUkraine\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Romania\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eRomania\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Serbia\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSerbia\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Croatia\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCroatia\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Slovenia\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSlovenia\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial\/spoken language:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hungarian_language\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHungarian\u003c\/a\u003e (~100%) — a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Uralic_languages\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUralic language\u003c\/a\u003e unrelated to any of its neighbors\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pannonia\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePannonia\u003c\/a\u003e — Roman province (1st century AD–433); before Rome, home to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Celts\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCeltic\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Illyrians\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIllyrian\u003c\/a\u003e tribes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Huns\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHunnic Empire\u003c\/a\u003e (433–469) — Huns arrived from the Eurasian steppe under \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Attila\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAttila\u003c\/a\u003e; empire collapsed after his death\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGermanic and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Avars\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAvar\u003c\/a\u003e kingdoms (469–895)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hungarian_conquest_of_the_Carpathian_Basin\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMagyar conquest\u003c\/a\u003e (895) — \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Magyars\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMagyars\u003c\/a\u003e from the Ural region, arrived under \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Arpad\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eÁrpád\u003c\/a\u003e, displacing\/absorbing Slavs\/Avars\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kingdom_of_Hungary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKingdom of Hungary\u003c\/a\u003e (1000–1526) — founded by \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Stephen_I_of_Hungary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eStephen I\u003c\/a\u003e; Matthias reigned during its height\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Battle_of_Moh%C3%A1cs\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBattle of Mohács\u003c\/a\u003e (1526) — Ottoman victory; Hungary split into Ottoman-occupied central Hungary, semi-autonomous \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Principality_of_Transylvania\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eTransylvania\u003c\/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_Hungary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eRoyal Hungary\u003c\/a\u003e under the Habsburgs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Habsburg_Hungary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHabsburg rule\u003c\/a\u003e (1526–1867) — \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_Hungary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eRoyal Hungary\u003c\/a\u003e governed from \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bratislava\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePozsony (Bratislava\/Pressburg)\u003c\/a\u003e as capital from 1536 to 1784, when the court moved to Buda; Ottomans expelled by 1699\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Austria-Hungary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAustro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy\u003c\/a\u003e (1867–1918)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kingdom_of_Hungary_(1920%E2%80%931946)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHorthy Regency\u003c\/a\u003e (1920–1944); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Treaty_of_Trianon\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eTreaty of Trianon\u003c\/a\u003e (1920) — Hungary lost ~72% of its territory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/People%27s_Republic_of_Hungary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e“People’s Republic”\u003c\/a\u003e (1949–1989) — communist dictatorship; USSR crushed the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hungarian_Revolution_of_1956\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e1956 uprising\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hungary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eRepublic\u003c\/a\u003e (1989–present) — member of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/NATO\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNATO\u003c\/a\u003e (1999–present) and the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/European_Union_accession_of_Hungary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEuropean Union\u003c\/a\u003e (2004–present)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe king who built a library while running an army\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost medieval kings built cathedrals. Matthias built a library. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Corvina Library held over 2,000 illuminated manuscripts — Greek, Latin, Arabic — assembled from across Europe and the Byzantine world.\u003c\/strong\u003e He hired Italian humanists, corresponded with Renaissance scholars, and made his court in Buda a center of learning that rivaled Florence. At the same time, his Black Army — paid professionals rather than feudal levies — was the most effective fighting force in Central Europe. He used it to take Vienna in 1485. He ruled from there until his death.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOwn this note from Hungary’s golden age\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1000 Forint is Hungary’s most widely circulated denomination — and this 2024 issue puts its greatest king front and center. \u003cstrong\u003eMatthias Corvinus on a modern banknote is Hungary saying: this is who we were, and who we still want to be.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Hercules Fountain still stands at Visegrád. The library is gone. The legend isn’t.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"World Money Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51499246682423,"sku":"HU203UNC","price":5.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/57_98e41054-6461-4a06-9fbf-b3dd45a4c902.jpg?v=1766777215","url":"https:\/\/worldmoneystore.com\/products\/hungary-1000-forint-2024-p-203-unc-black-army-king-matthias-corvinus-visegrad","provider":"World Money Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}