The "Princes' Gold – Royal Representation in Transylvania” collection, worth billions of HUF, was transported home by the central bank's armoured car on the 28^th of February in 2025. It will be on display at the Hungarian National Museum from the 15^th of March, and for the exhibition, the Money Museum also loaned 195 silver thalers and 13 contemporary coin dies from the Törő Collection. Here are the 5+1 most exciting items in the collection that you must see!

1. The oldest one
Coin minting in Transylvania started in 1556, during the reign of John Sigismund, who introduced a new currency: the silver thaler, which was first minted in 1562 in Sibiu and is the oldest piece of the Money Museum's collection displayed at the exhibition. The obverse of the coin features the coat of arms of the Zápolya family, accompanied by a wolf, moon and sun, and the year of minting, 15 - 62, written below. Above the coat of arms is the abbreviation I E R V, which stands for King John II of Hungary. The reverse side of the thaler is smooth and is known as the requisition or field thaler due to its simplicity.

2. The most beautiful one
Sigismund Báthory was the fourth ruler of the Principality of Transylvania, and it was he who formed the minting of coins in the region. He established a greater number of denominations than his predecessors and minted a much larger number of silver thalers. Of particular interest is the 1589 thaler minted in Nagybánya, widely regarded as the most exquisite of all the silver thalers issued by the Princes of Transylvania. This particular piece features an intricately designed obverse, depicting Sigismund Báthory in elaborate armour, holding a mace with his right hand and a helmet at the right edge of the coin. The mace, a common symbol of the princes' authority, is featured on almost all thalers. The reverse of the coin features the Báthory family coat of arms, adorned with the dragon's teeth.

3. The most valuable one

The coinage of Transylvania reached its peak under the rule of Michael Apafi, and one of the most valuable pieces is the silver thaler issued in 1672 (insured for EUR 25,000). The obverse of the coin features a detailed picture of the prince, and the reverse also shows the design of the decorative armour. The prince is depicted wearing a cloak, holding a sceptre in his right hand and the hilt of a sabre in his left. The reverse of the coin features the Transylvanian-Apafi coat of arms set in an ornate cartouche.

4. The most spectacular one
Gabriel Bethlen's silver thalers are distinguished by their exceptional craftsmanship, showcasing intricate details that allow us to capture the prince's distinctive hairstyle and beard. The 1621 thaler minted in Nagybánya exemplifies this, featuring Gábor Bethlen with a hair braid, akin to a modern-day hipster style. His southern physique and fashionably styled facial hair are also depicted. The reverse of the coin features the Hungarian-Transylvanian coat of arms, accompanied by a cartouche below the image of the Holy Crown of Hungary, and the Bethlen family's coat of arms within the heart shield. Following his election as King of Hungary in 1620, Gabriel Bethlen frequently featured the Holy Crown on his coins.

5. The strangest one
Ákos Barcsay's coinage is another noteworthy item. In 1660, the prince, who reigned for a brief three-year period, had a silver thaler minted in Brasov. The obverse of the thaler featured the united Transylvanian-Barcsay coat of arms, while the reverse displayed a passage from Psalm 130 of the Bible. The inscription on the coin translates as 'De Profundis Clamavi Ad Te, Domine', which is a plea for divine favour.The coin is of particular interest as it shows that the prince was in a serious political crisis. When Ákos Barcsay became prince, the sultan demanded a one-time war tribute of 500,000 talers and an annual tax of 80,000 talers, which depleted the Principality of Transylvania's financial reserves.

+1: The rarest one
A significant number of coins from the time of the Principality of Transylvania have survived, though few coin dies have done so. This is because they were usually recycled to make new coins; however, a few pieces have survived and are on display in the exhibition "Princes' Gold". One such piece is a thaler minted by Michael Apafi in Brasov in 1672. Weighing almost 3kg and measuring 175mm in length, this thaler is made of steel and features a mirror image of the obverse coin on the reverse die.