New Coin Issues
A Celebration of Indigenous Art and Cultures
In celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada, the Royal Canadian Mint has launched a new $2 commemorative circulation coin, which features the combined work of three artists. This the first time that three different artists have collaborated on a single reverse design on a Canadian circulation coin.
Source: Royal Canadian Mint.The three artists each represent different Indigenous communities in Canada – Megan Currie from English River First Nation, Myrna Pokiak (Agnaviak), Inuvialuit Settlement Region, and Jennine Krauchi, Red River Métis. The artist impressions have been published on the RCM website and can be found here: www.mint.ca/nipd.
Mintage has been limited to 3 million coins, of which 2 million will be coloured. The coin entered circulation on 21 June, National Indigenous Peoples Day, and will reach Canadians through their change as bank branches and businesses replenish their inventories of $2 coins.
US Mint Continues AWQ Programme
The US Mint has continued its 2023 American Women Quarters (AWQ) programme with the release of the next coins in this year’s series, the eighth coin in the programme altogether.
Launched at the beginning of June, the coin honours first lady, author and civil liberties advocate Eleanor Roosevelt. She was also Chairperson of the United Nations Human Rights Commission and instrumental in the passage of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
The reverse of the coin depicts the former US First Lady and the scales of justice in the foreground, with a globe in the background symbolic of her work with the UDHR.
As with the other coins in the AWQ series, the obverse design features Laura Gardin Fraser’s portrait of George Washington.
The final two coins in the 2023 honour Jovita Idar, a Mexican-American journalist, activist, teacher, and suffragist; and Maria Tallchief, America’s first Native American prima ballerina. The coins are scheduled for release in August and October, respectively.
Eesti Pank Approves Designs for Two New Coins
The Supervisory Board of Eesti Pank has approved the designs for two new euro coins, which are scheduled for release in 2024. The first is dedicated to Estonia’s national flower, the cornflower, whilst the second will be a silver collector coin dedicated to Estonian athletes attending the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. Both coin designs were awarded following a competition.
As with the barn swallow coin issued in May (see CMN May), the cornflower coin will be issued as part of a series of circulating coins featuring Estonian national symbols. The obverse design features a large open cornflower in the centre, with smaller more closed up flowers to the side. The reverse design is the standard Map of Europe design by Luc Luycx.
The Olympics commemorative coin will have a nominal value of €10 and will be the 13th Olympic coin issued by the central bank. The design depicts the Olympic flame at the top in a blue colour whilst an abstract path sweeps across the face of the coin, leading to a sun image on the left-hand side. The path appears reflected on the coin, forming a silhouette of the Eiffel Tower. According to designer Liis Dvorjanski, the design means that ‘our [Estonian] athletes may see the natural light supporting them on their path to a medal’.
Latvia Issues Sunflower for Ukraine
Latvijas Banka has issued a special €2 commemorative dedicated to Ukrainian sunflowers, a symbol of peace and freedom. According to the central bank, the income derived from each coin sold in gift packaging – titled ‘Sunflower for Ukraine’ – will be donated to Ukraine, as with the previously issued commemorative, ‘For the Freedom of Ukraine’.
Ukraine is the world’s largest producer of sunflowers and exporter of sunflower oil, and the sunflower has become one of the symbols of the Ukrainian people in the fight for peace. The obverse design features a prominent sunflower in the centre, with the inscription ‘SLAVA UKRAINAI!’ (Glory to Ukraine!) above. The issuing country and year of issue are also inscribed on the coin, below the sunflower.
Mintage of the coin in circulation quality or coins in rolls has been limited 400,000 pieces, with BU quality coins in gift packaging also limited but to 15,000 pieces. The coin has been struck by the Lithuanian Mint.
125 Years of Philippine Independence
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has released a special commemorative coin set to mark the 125th of Philippine Independence. The set includes three coins, one each of denominations of 100 peso, 20 peso and 5 peso.
The 100 peso depicts the 1898 declaration of independence, the 20 peso the birth of the country’s first republic at the Barasoain Church, and the 5 peso design symbolises the bravery of Filipinos who fought for the country’s sovereignty in the Philippine-American War. Both the symbol ‘125’ and the denomination have been printed in colour on all the coins.
According to the BSP, it used the latest digital printing technology in developing the coin set, which features the first coloured, non-circulation, commemorative coins produced by the Bank.
75 Years of the Windrush Generation
The Royal Mint has released a commemorative 50p coin to mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush in the UK.
The Windrush generation refers to those who arrived in the UK from Caribbean countries between 1948 and 1973, with many of the passengers those who had served in the British armed forces during World War Two.
The HMT Empire Windrush was not the only ship to carry this generation of passengers, but it became a symbol for the wider mass-migration movement during the mid twentieth century.
The reverse of the coin was designed by artist Valda Jackson, whose parents travelled from Jamaica in the 1960s, and depicts two people of the Windrush generation in the foreground with the Union Flag as the backdrop.
The Mint has also issued a coloured version of the coin which features the blue and red stripes of the flag in colour. Mintage of this coloured coin has been limited to 10,000 pieces.
In addition, a coin cover has been produced, which includes the 50p as well as two First Class, two £1.00, two £2.00 and two £2.20 landscape stamps. The stamps are cancelled (or marked) with a Tilbury handstamp – the Port of Tilbury being the location that the Windrush docked at in July 1948, near London.
Marking the First Ascent of Mount Everest
In collaboration with CIT, the Cook Islands has issued two proof silver coins to mark the first recorded ascent of Mount Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary on 29 May 1953.
The reverse of the coins depicts the mountain from above, with the design featuring textured high relief and partial colour. The route of the expedition is marked by a dotted line up the mountain. ‘MT. EVEREST-1953-FIRST ASCENT’ are inscribed at the top of the coin, with two smaller figures depicted in between the letters, climbing up a peak.
The obverse design features the late Queen Elizabeth II’s effigy in a coin-like inset on the left-hand side, with Mount Everest as the backdrop. The two alpinists are depicted walking in full gear on the right-hand side of the coin.
Source: CIT.Both coins have been struck using CIT’s smartminting Ultra High Relief technology.
Swissmint Celebrates 175 Years of Modern Switzerland
To celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Swiss Federal Constitution, Swissmint has produced a new commemorative coin under its ‘Swiss special coins’ branding. The coin is available in both gold and silver versions, with the former a nominal value of 50 Swiss francs and the latter worth 20 Swiss francs (CHF).
Both coins have the same design, with the preamble of the Federal Constitution depicted on the obverse ‘symbolically transposed with the terms of the text intertwining to form a very powerful symbol’. The edge of the design has the words ‘Federal Constitution’ inscribed in German, French, Italian, and Romansh, with the dates ‘1848-2023’ at the top of the coin.
The reverse of the coins features an angel without wings bearing the Swiss coat of arms. The removal of the wings is a nod to discussions about the reference to God in the Federal Constitution.
Source: Swissmint.‘We usually see what we want to see – and so we are left with a figure that is familiar to us. The angel becomes Helvetia, the peacemaker. A virtue that is more important than ever in today’s world’, according to designer Peter Salzmann. Helvetia (usually spelled in the Latin way, Helvetica) is the allegorical figure symbolising Switzerland itself.
Mintage for the silver coins has been limited to 10,000 uncirculated coins and 4,250 coins in proof quality, with 5,000 of the gold coins issued in proof quality.
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