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Coin use is in a steady decline because of credit cards, but we still feel there is a place for coins in the economy, and at present, charities, the homeless, buskers, churches and small purchases are under threat. We want to rethink coins because they become a mixed up, heavy, dirty, difficult-to-identify pile that is inconvenient to use regularly. We want to make coins cool again. We want the coinage system to fuse our heritage, British manufacturing skills and cutting-edge design. Our design is influenced by great modern British product designers such as Thomas Heatherwick, Jonathan Ive and Tom Dixon. We want to clarify, streamline and redefine the cash system. We want to make coins lightweight, simple to identify, easy to link together and use, carry and spend. We have used the profile of Prince Charles on each coin, as we feel that his succession to the throne would be the perfect occasion for a rethink and redesign.
Design details The coins are made of lightweight, durable, brushed titanium similar to the materials used for rock climbing carabiners. Diameter = 50mm, width = 3mm + 2mm insert. The simple shapes help differentiate the denominations, help the visually impaired and the blind, and they’re easy to identify in bad light. The coin design repeats on both sides: a raised metallic insert, cut to the profile of Charles acts as a linking pin, enabling the coins to be stacked and transported in groups of various values.
The denominations are debossed into the surface. Coin spines have text etched into the edges, which keeps the outer surfaces clean. Existing coins have the Latin letters; DG = Dei Gratia = By the Grace of God. REG = Regnant = Reigning Monarch. FD = Fidei Defensor = Defender of The Faith. We have translated the Latin into English for clarity and placed this along the spines of all coins. We have eliminated the 1p and 5p coins to streamline the system. Once this is complete, we would ensure that products would be priced down, not up. |
Image Studio Thomson
Words Studio Thomson |
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