There have been a few occurrences in this blog series covering Whitman Publishing’s 100 Greatest Women on Coins that have featured women in monument form. Much like the Statue of Liberty and Liberty really in all her forms, the idea of her is one that expands beyond the borders of the United States and is interpreted all over the globe. One of those interpretations lands us in Hungary honoring their version, with author Ron Guth helping us along the way.
#89 - Stróbl Monument
The Stróbl Monument, also known as the Liberty Statue (or Szabadság Szobor in Hungarian), or the Freedom Statue, was constructed in 1947. Located in Budapest, Hungarian sculptor Kisfaludi Stróbl was the designer of the statue. The pedestal the statue sits upon as well as the statue itself measure around 130 feet high. Situated on top of Gellért Hill in the middle of Budapest, its height allows it to be seen from long distances. Those who visit the monument itself can witness a stunning panoramic view of the entire city.
Sitting at the bottom of the statue on either side are two smaller bronze statues. One side features a nude male figure about to slay a two-headed dragon while the other features a partially nude male figure heaving a torch in the wind. There was also another statue displayed at the base originally, but it was removed years later when Hungary gained its independence. It depicted a Red Army soldier.
A great deal of Hungarian coins feature the Stróbl Monument. Issued from 1971-1989, the 10-forint coins included the statue and were issued for circulation. During their minting, there were years when their mintage went as high as 37 million. The silver 50- and 100-forint coins were struck in 1970 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their emancipation from Germany. Their mintages were, understandably, much smaller. Only 5,000 Proof coins were struck and 20,000 Uncirculated ones. All the forint coins depicted Liberty holding a large palm frond above her.
Because of how common they are, the 10-forint coins are easy to collect according to Guth. However, due to their commonality, dealers do not have stock because their value is so low. The 50- and 100-forint silver coins are lower in mintage but relatively inexpensive.