The Royal Mint is launching a competition to find new designs for the reverses of six out of eight of the United Kingdom‘s coins. The 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p are all to be redesigned.
This is your chance to influence how the coinage looks, your chance to make your mark on the history of the coinage and your chance to change the face of what millions of people carry in their pockets and purses everyday.
Coins are more than just a means of purchasing. The designs that appear on them are works of art in their own right. They are symbols of the nation and now you have an opportunity to have a hand in creating those symbols for a new generation.
The Royal Mint want a series of six designs and even suggest a number of themes to help you along the way.
Looking to heraldic devices is one approach that could be adopted. Heraldry has long been used as a way of symbolising Britain and heraldic devices have quite naturally featured on British coins. You might also like to consider other ways of representing Britain which could include the flora and fauna of the country, its institutions, its geographic features or its achievements whether social, political or cultural.
I’d love to know someone who takes part! If this grabs you then please let me know and let me see your designs! Oh and did I mention that there’s a prize of £30,000? Hopefully not as 60,000 of your newly designed 50p’s…
The closing date is Monday, 14th November 2005. For more information, please visit the Royal Mint’s website.
