Coin Story: Hungary Coin - Turtle

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European Pond Turtle, Coin from Hungary

This 1985 coin was issued in Hungary as part of a Wildlife Preservation series. These turtles live in ponds, marshes, and wetland areas in southern and central Europe, and northwestern Africa. They are more rare in some countries.

Five interesting facts about these fresh water turtles:

• They live about 50 years in the wild, and their size ranges from 5 to 15 inches.  They are social and live in small groups.
• They eat insects, small fish, tadpoles, etc. They also will eat water vegetation along with it.  
•  Females lay 8-10 eggs, and the eggs incubate for about 90 days. The egg nest is buried in the dirt usually near a body of water.  
• When winter arrives, they don't hibernate.  Fresh water turtles dive down into the muddy waters at the bottom of ponds where the temperature normally doesn't get below 34 degrees F. Their metabolisms slow down, allowing them to survive for months without food and very little oxygen.
• Female European Pond Turtles leave after laying their eggs, they don't stay to raise their young.  The baby turtles hatch fully developed and are independent.