Tokens as mining tokens dating from the 17th century fall into this category. A more accessible period comprises the early 19th century up until the end of World War I with the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This is the period of the “Big Hungary”, with its territory extending deep into modern-day Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovakia, lands lost following the Trianon treaty of 1918. Hungary at the time was typified by feudal farms with peasants receiving wages from three types of landowner: the King, noblemen and the Church. The earliest examples of tokens were paper tallies received by villains for compulsory work done, a day or a week for example, for his master. Tallies made of more durable materials followed, including metal and glass which could be exchanged for currency. In 1848 the villains were liberated and compulsory work ceased but the practice of issuing tallies for a wide range of activities continued, including corn reaping and grape picking and even such activities as hunting and the collection of branches and twigs from woods and forests. Some of the most frequently encountered types of tally are the 1 and 10 Mérő work tokens but the older issues are extremely rare. Sometimes these early metal tokens are found with corners clipped off their square shape. A complete square, with all four corners complete, indicates one day’s work but each clipped corner reduces the period of work by a quarter of a day.3 Mining tokens form another group which are represented in this period. In view of the size of Hungary at this time, these mines were located not only in Hungary but also in modern day Romania and Slovakia. Like the earlier examples, these tend to be very scarce and command high prices in good condition, certainly several hundred pounds. North of the city of Miskolc at Diósgyőr was a large Iron Works, a co-operative that, during the period 1884 to 1920, issued an extensive range of bronze tokens for use in the company shops and restaurants on site. These were mainly circular pieces and are frequently seen for sale. Not only are there a large number of items that these tokens were exchanged for, but there are different varieties too making this an interesting area of study. Tokens exist for milk (tej), tea (thea), bread (kenyér), oil (olaj) and for meals in a restaurant (vendéglő). Also frequently encountered are the diverse range of Danube bridge (Hídbárcák) and tunnel (alagút) tokens or passes which are not just restricted to those in Budapest but also from other towns along this, and other major rivers, including Esztergom, Győr, Szeged, Tahitótfalu and Ráckeve. The Budapest Lánchid (chain bridge) produced passes between 1849 and 1918. Any tokens featuring the Korona, the currency of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, will obviously fall into this period, for example the bracteate, tinned iron pieces issued by the Civil Service. World War I saw Hungary aligned with the Germans. It was the last period for issues by the “Greater Hungary” and an interesting area of study are issues of emergency money for use in prisoner-of-war camps within the Empire. Although the vast majority of these issues are paper money there was one notable exception, a prison camp near the city of Esztergom. This topic will feature in a later article. June 2011
www.tokenpublishing.com
1919 to 1960 This section covers the post-war period of the “Smaller Hungary” and the Hungarian Communist State up to the late 1960s. Over this period the national currency changed from Korona and Fillér to Pengő in 1919 and then to the Forint and Fillér in 1946 following the unprecedented hyperinflation earlier that year. Tokens can be found for all types of industry during this period. Several series of tokens were issued within the poultry (baromfi) industry (ipar) including an extended series of ten plastic currency-marked tokens with values between 1 fillér and 10 forints which were issued by Baromfi ipar during the 1950s. These, and other tokens issued by the poultry processing industry at this time, were tallies used to measure productivity. The system continued after nationalisation of the industry but became obsolete following investment into mechanisation. Another country-wide poultry company, Barnevál, produced a series of circular aluminium tokens with marked values of 1, 10 and 50 láda (boxes) of eggs (tojas) and 1, 10 and 50 ketrec (cages) of birds, together with other aluminium tokens for other products marked Hollandi or Fórum during the 1940s and 50s. The milk bottle deposit tokens (üvegbetét) of the Budapest Central Creamery are another fascinating group of mainly bronze tokens which were widely used during this period. The basic token had a value of 50 fillér but a version with an over-stamp (átverték) can be found with the lower denomination of 40 fillér. They were issued by over 300 dairy product retail outlets, each having a unique number punched onto the token. This series of tokens will be described in a future article. Budapest transport tokens during this period were issued by a number of bus companies and the light suburban rail network MÁV. The bus company BSZKRT issued bronze tokens with pengő values between 1922 and 1946, followed by several forint values between 1946 and 1949. The latter group exist with a variety of numbers on the reverse and are quite collectable, and frequently offered for sale. Other companies, like BART and FAV produced similar valued metal tickets depicting single deck buses, the latter up to 1968. Other towns produced similar transport tokens, for example those from Miskolc, made of iron were produced between 1953 and 1971 and comprise of at least seven values from 1 to 50 forints. A well designed series of metal tokens of various shapes was produced by the Miénk Kávéház (coffee house) in Budapest between 1930 and 1940. They range from tokens with a monetary value to those naming food and drinks available in the shop. Hungarians still love to spend time in these splendidly decorated cafes (cukrászdák) where rich cakes, tea and good coffee can be consumed. 1970 to date There is little evidence of tokens being issued currently within Hungary but, of course that depends on the definition used. The last 20 years of the socialist republic saw a continuation of tokens being issued by food producers and others and the following examples are typical for this period, yet not all are commonly encountered.
Budai workers’ association 1kr value pre-1919 in brass.
Budapest Civil Service token 1 korona bracteate of tinned iron, pre-1919.
Miskolc bus token 1 forint made of iron between 1953 and 1971, 17mm diameter and 1.8g.
Miskolc catering token from c. 1990, these started in 1968, were made of aluminium—this one is 30mm diameter and 3.4g.
Mienk coffee house token 1930s—this one is for coffee and is made of bronze.
Coin news
55