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The National Bank of Slovakia issued a 20 euro collector coin on September 10, 2026, to mark the 250th anniversary of Maurice Benyovszky's proclamation as King of Madagascar.
The issue comprises 3,000 Brilliant Uncirculated coins and 7,050 Proof coins, for a total mintage of 10,050 pieces. The obverse was designed by Miroslav Ronai and the reverse by Branislav Ronai, while the engraving was done by Dalibor Schmidt.
Maurice Benyovszky and his controversial proclamation as king of Madagascar
Maurice Benyovszky was born on September 20, 1746, in Vrbové, a town then part of the Kingdom of Hungary and now located in Slovakia. A Hungarian nobleman of Slovak origin, soldier, traveler, and explorer, his life was marked by some of the major conflicts and expeditions of 18th-century Europe. He studied at the Svätý Jur Lyceum, where he was registered as a member of the Slovak nobility.
After the death of his parents and several disputes related to the family inheritance, he left his homeland. In 1768, he joined the forces of the Bar Confederation, a movement organized in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the growing influence of the Russian Empire.
In the spring of 1769, he was captured by the Russians, imprisoned in Kazan, and later deported to Kamchatka, in the far east of the Russian Empire. There, he starred in one of the most famous episodes of his biography: he organized a rebellion along with other exiles and undertook a perilous escape by sea.
The expedition crossed the North Pacific and, following the itinerary traditionally associated with his voyages, sailed near the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and the coast of Japan. After several months, Benyovszky reached the Chinese port of Macau and from there managed to return to Europe.
Once in France, he entered the service of the monarchy. In 1772, King Louis XV granted him the rank of colonel and entrusted him with a mission to establish a French trading post in Madagascar. Benyovszky arrived on the island in 1774, at the age of 27, and founded the Louisbourg outpost in Antongil Bay.
According to the account he later wrote in his memoirs, he explored and mapped part of the territory, built roads, promoted trade, improved the living conditions of the population, and established alliances with different local communities.
Also according to his own account, in October 1776 an assembly of tribal leaders elected him as their leader or great king, under the title of " Ampansacabé." This proclamation is the event commemorated by the coin, although its authenticity and scope have been debated by historians. The main source is Benyovszky's own autobiographical account, and Madagascar was not then a politically unified kingdom, so the title "King of Madagascar" should not be interpreted as effective sovereignty over the entire island.
Benyovszky left Madagascar at the end of 1776 and returned to Europe in 1777. Louis XVI subsequently granted him the rank of general. During his time in Paris, he met Benjamin Franklin and corresponded with George Washington. In 1778, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria bestowed upon him the title of count.
In 1784, he undertook a second expedition to Madagascar with the backing of American traders. On the island's eastern coast, in the region of Cap Est, he began to establish a new settlement, which he named Mauritania. Its growing influence aroused concern among the French authorities based on Île de France, present-day Mauritius.
On May 24, 1786, he died during an attack by a French force on his settlement. He was 39 years old. His figure achieved greater notoriety after his death thanks to the publication in London, in 1790, of the work Memoirs and Travels of Mauritius Augustus Count de Benyowsky. The book disseminated the account of his expeditions internationally and decisively contributed to building his image as one of the great European adventurers of the Enlightenment.
Coin design
The obverse features a period sailing ship on a rough sea, alluding to the extensive and risky voyages undertaken by Maurice Benyovszky. To the left of the vessel appears the national coat of arms of Slovakia.
At the bottom, arranged in two lines, are the name of the issuing country, "SLOVENSKO," and the year of issue, "2026." To the left of the country's name are the stylized initials "MR," corresponding to the designer Miroslav Ronai, while to the right appears the mint mark of the Kremnica Mint.
To the right of the sailboat is a stylized linden branch, taken from the logo of the National Bank of Slovakia. When the coin is tilted, this motif visually transforms into the letters "NBS," an abbreviation of the issuing institution's name.
The reverse side features a portrait of Maurice Benyovszky. To his left is a section of the globe in which Madagascar is depicted on a larger scale, accompanied by a stylized zebu, an animal closely associated with the island's culture and daily life. Next to Madagascar are the initials "BR" of the designer Branislav Ronai.
To the right of the portrait are the face value "20 EURO" and a compass, a symbol of Benyovszky's travels and explorations. Below his image is an emblem composed of a traveler's palm — Ravenala madagascariensis —, a crescent moon, and two stars.
The name "MÓRIC BEŇOVSKÝ" runs across the top of the composition. At the bottom appears the inscription "KRÁĽ MADAGASKARU", meaning "king of Madagascar", accompanied by the year "1776".
The edge of the coin bears the inscription «• ŠĽACHTIC CESTOVATEĽ DOBRODRUH», which can be translated as «noble, traveler and adventurer», three terms with which the coin summarizes Benyovszky's unique career.
Feature Data
Country Slovakia
Year 2026
Reason 250th anniversary of the proclamation of Maurice Benyovszky as king of Madagascar
Date of issue September 10, 2026
Face value 20 euros
Metal 925 fine silver (92.5% silver and 7.5% copper)
Weight 33.63 g
Diameter 40 mm
Total print run 10,050 coins (3,000 BU and 7,050 Proof)
Front design Miroslav Ronai
Reverse design Branislav Ronai
Engraver Dalibor Schmidt
Mint Kremnica Mint (Mincovňa Kremnica)
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