Whether coins or medals, almost every modern mint's production is exclusively metallic.

Except in Hungary, that is.

"It's a kindness for Hungarian people," said Terez Horvath, commercial director for the Hungarian Mint.

The Magyar Pénzvero Zrt. (Hungarian Mint) is now offering wooden "medals" struck on a standard coinage press.

Horvath explained the medals and process to Coin World during the World Money Fair 2015 in Berlin.

"We struck them on the same minting presses, where the 'normal' precious metal collector coins and medals are struck," she said.

The medals are struck in wild pear wood on an unspecified Graebener press using 200 tons of force, striking them at least two times.

The obverse, designed by Tamás E. Soltra, depicts a tree, the trunk of which forms a 1 "Fabatka" symbolic denomination.

The 1 Fabatka symbolic denomination is a reference to ancient small change used in the 16th century in Silezia and called "batka."

The reverse shows the logo of the Hungarian Mint.

"Several hundred" of each type were made, with the intention that they be used as small gifts.

Each measures 42.5 millimeters in diameter.

To read the complete article, see:
Hungarian Mint strikes wooden medal on coinage press(www.coinworld.com/news/hungarian-mint-strikes-wooden-medal-on-coinage-press.html)

To read some earlier E-Sylum articles on wooden medals, see:
DICK JOHNSON AND DONALD TRITT, WOODEN MEDAL EXPERT(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n38a08.html)
SOME BACKGROUND ON WOODEN MEDALS(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n39a16.html)
HOW ARE WOODEN MEDALS MADE?(www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v10n18a26.html)