Hungary Fabatka Key Chain

Hungary Fabatka Key Chain



$12.95

My kingdom for a Fabatka!
 

While this should not be the only gift you get your loved ones this year surprise them with this unique Hungarian souvenir that is worth its weight in wood.


What is a fabatka? In Hungarian it is used as an expression meaning it “counts for nothing,” i.e it is not worth a groat, a twopence, a plugged nickel, etc. It comes from the Hungarian words fa=wood (made of wood) and batka or bapka, the name of a former coin used in Silesia (today Czech Republic) in the 16th century when it was worth 1⁄3 German kreuzer. The prefix wood(en) means that it has really low value, i.e. quite nothing. The Hungarian Mint has brought fabtaka to life with these worthless wooden coins that have already sold out once. More are being made now. They are, at a minimum, double struck in wild pear wood with 200 tons of force
on a press normally used for coins. They have also been made into key chains.