IACA Excellence in Coin Awards Recognise Innovation, Efficiency and Sustainability

The winners of the IACA Excellence in Currency Awards for Coin 2022 were announced and presented at a special ceremony on 18 October, during the Coin Conference in Amsterdam.

Sponsored by Currency News™ and run by IACA (the International Association for Currency Affairs), the awards are designed to promote and recognise excellence in the design, production, processing, management, and distribution of coins.

Best New Coin Product, Feature or Distribution Innovation

The award for this category was given to the National Bank of Poland (NBP) for their Self-Service Coin Deposit Devices.

The self-service coin deposit devices are present in 16 NBP regional branches, with eight further machines set to be installed before the end of this year. Customers deposit their coins in the self-service machine and are given the option of completing the transaction by crediting their account via the instant mobile payment app BLIK, or receiving a payment to the equivalent value of the coin deposit at the NBP cash desk.

According to the NBP, the total number of coins deposited since the programme launched is 350 million via 236,000 transactions, with the value deposited at 190 million zlotys (€40 million). The solution has reduced the costs of issuing coins by 50 million zlotys (€10.5 million) and has had a positive impact on the environment by reducing the consumption of raw materials and natural resources.

Best New Commemorative or Test Circulation Coin

The award for this category went to the Central Bank of Barbados and the Royal Canadian Mint for the $1 Glow-in-the-Dark Flying Fish Coin celebrating essential workers during the pandemic.

According to the Bank, the iconic coin, which features the RCM’s proprietary photoluminescent pad printing technology, was created to symbolise Bajans who are bright souls making sacrifices to light the way as one united nation to overcome pandemic struggles.

Best New Environmental Sustainability Project for Coins

The Royal Dutch Mint was given the award in this category for the Dutch Vault, which opened in 2020 and is the first energy- neutral mint in Europe.

The total investment in the new facility was €20 million. It is fully energy self-sufficient, with on-site solar energy production that is expected to exceed its own consumption and is equipped with the latest HVAC technology, which uses the heat of the presses to warm the building in winter and cold air at night to cool the warehouse in summer.

The building was made entirely from concrete, chosen for security and insulation purposes, and best practices to reduce the environmental footprint have been adopted throughout the building, such as LED and zone lighting, and wastewater recycling.

More detailed information about the finalists and winners in each category will be provided in future issues of Coin & Mint News™.

currencyaffairs.org