Royal Mint Competition...design Britains New Coins! The Royal Mint has launched a competition for the public to design the next generation of British coins (for the tale side). ROYAL MINT INVITES MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO MAKE THEIR MARK ON HISTORY Open competition launched to find new designs for United Kingdom coins An open competition to find designs for six of the United Kingdom’s eight circulating coins is launched today (Wednesday 17 August 2005) by the Royal Mint. Entries are expected to flood in as members of the public, and experienced artists alike, are invited to make their mark on history by coming up with the first new designs in forty years* for the reverse, or tail side, of the coins. With the exception of the 20p, which was first issued in 1982, the reverse designs of coins from 1p to 50p were chosen in the late 1960s at the time of decimalisation. While the current designs have served their purpose well, it is hoped that a new series may better reflect modern Britain. The design brief gives would-be designers a ‘free hand’ but as heraldry has been an important element in the design of British coins for centuries, entrants may want to look at interpreting heraldry in an ‘imaginative and creative way’ for a modern coinage. Alternatively, the brief suggests that they might like to consider themes to represent Britain, such as flora or fauna, geographic features, social, political or cultural achievements or British institutions. At a later stage members of the public will be consulted on the designs and will be given the opportunity to express their views prior to formal approval. Neither the £1 nor £2 coins are included in the competition; a new series of reverse designs for the £1 coin (featuring famous bridges from around the United Kingdom) was introduced last year, while the bi-colour £2 coin – and its design representing Britain’s industrial and technological evolution – was introduced as recently as 1998. Gerald Sheehan, Chief Executive of the Royal Mint, said the competition is an exciting way of making sure that the Mint has the widest possible input into new coin designs from as many people as possible. “Although we use coins everyday and we often take them and their designs for granted, it is fascinating how strongly people feel about the coinage and how integral it is to our history. “This is a wonderful opportunity for people to be involved in designing their own coinage and, for the winning designer, there could be a prize of up to £30,000. We are looking forward to seeing what ideas are submitted,” he added. Anyone interested in entering the competition should obtain an information and briefing pack from the Royal Mint: Telephone: 0845 60 88 111 Address: The Coin Design Competition Museum, Royal Mint, Llantrisant, Pontyclun, CF72 8YT Or via the website: www.royalmint.com The competition closing date is 14 November 2005. The designs are for the reverse of the coins – the tail side. The obverse (the head side of the coin) features a portrait of the Queen. The current designs for the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p and 50p were by Christopher Ironside in preparation for decimalisation in 1971. The 50p has featured a number of other designs from time to time when it has been used to commemorate particular events, such as the 50th anniversary of athlete Roger Bannister’s four-minute mile. The 20p, which was introduced later, has a reverse design by William Gardner. For further media information, please contact: Jo Johnson/Noreen Bray Good Relations __________________
Nooooooooooooooooooooo! I see clip art rubbish on the way. Whenever i hear the word 'modern' interpretation. I think 'massacred' designs, or modern bland low relief rubbish. If i could draw or design things i'd send in some pompous and regal design, heavily garnished shields of something. Something really 1826.
You should do something like that it. They've got the obverse pretty good right now. A well designed reverse would be wonderful. Perhaps something based off of the 19th century portrait Plucking the White and Red Roses in Temple Garden, painted by Henry Payne. It's a very famous, albeit fictitious, representation of a confrontation between the Dukes of Somerset and York at the beginning of the Wars of the Roses. I believe it's displayed in the Palace of Westminster someplace.
so wait a sec they want the public to design the 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50p coins or am i reading it wrong?
Not the 20p, that's remaining unchanged. But yes the rest are open to the publuc to send in designs. This is how the circulating £2 coin got it's design.
Hmm, don't quite think so. According to the conditions of the competition, the purpose is to find designs for six of the United Kingdom’s eight circulating coins. Since the £1 and £2 pieces are explicitly excepted, the 20 pence coin should be part of the competition too ... Christian
I'm not too bothered if they include it or not. They'll either wreck them with naff designs, or they'll improve them. I mean the reverses are the only things going for UK coinage really, the post 1998 obverse is, well... not pretty. But that's the price we have to pay for keeping to tradition. The one good thing about the redesign is it should freshen things up a bit. That and it might be the last major change of this current era, the Queen is afterall 79 years old. Obviously if she lives to 101 then there'll be plenty of time to change things. At the outside she's got 20 years to go (considering her mother's longevity), average it out i'd say about 10 years left. One thing is for certain Charles III won't be king for very long.
Ah well, there is always hope ;-) From the Mint's "Notes for Guidance": If the Royal Mint Advisory Committee is not satisfied that any of the designs represent an improvement on those already in use it ultimately reserves the right to recommend that there be no change. We will see what they come up with. In any case, I guess the (then) proposed designs will be subject to public discussion ... Christian
Don't get me wrong Christian i think it's about time we had some new designs, it's been a long time coming. 1971-200X (be it 06 or 07) has been too long. Although this does tend to happen in long reigns (as Victoria where designs lingered on for 50 years and became monotonous), whilst the great Edward VII standing Britannia florins only lasted 8 years, due to the king's short reign. I think they might have been waiting for the monarch change before they did the next redesign but that could be a while. So it's probably best to redesign them now. They'll probably be redesigned again when the future king succeeds. The only thing that worries me is if the designs are not up to it. The decimal designs weren't exactly great and neither were the Elizabeth II pre-decimal designs. (I could take that back to 1927 when the designs went downhill). Hopefully Philip Nathan (the guy that designs the silver Britannias and some of the commems) will get his chance to shine truly. He does seem to be able to pull off a traditional design in a new light without trivialising or totally wrecking it. Which is pretty much what the mint is looking for. As long as we keep buildings and monuments and flowers and non traditional animals off of the coins and keep with the shields and the Britannias and the other regal and national symbolism (like three lions/leopards) i'll be happy enough. We've had a long history of shields it'd be nice to see them continued. Ideally i would actually like to see the traditional St. George design turn up on the 50p. Or maybe on all future £5 coins and finally introduce them as circulation pieces and axe the tatty £5 notes.
