This site contains a series of designs entered into the 2005 Royal Mint Open competition to find new designs for standard British Coins; the Penny, the Two pence, the Five pence, the Ten pence the Twenty pence, the Fifty pence.
View the Designs Below
Competition to find new designs for United Kingdom coins
In 2005 The UK Royal Mint launched a competition to find new designs for the reverses of six United Kingdom circulating coins, from the penny to the fifty pence.
"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.
It will be necessary for you to prepare a series of six designs and there are a number of themes that you might like to consider in starting work. 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.
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." quoted form Royal Mint site
Competition briefing:
"Approval has been given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the preparation of a new series of
reverse designs for United Kingdom circulating coins from the penny to the fifty pence. A competition,
open to members of the public as well as to specially-invited artists and the Royal Mint Engraving
Department, is being organised to obtain appropriate designs."
Heraldic series
Designers should familiarise themselves with the heraldic traditions associated with the British coinage
but should try to interpret heraldic conventions in an imaginative and creative way. Heraldry has
considerable potential and it is suggested that, as well as the elements of the Royal Arms and other
heraldic devices associated with the constituent parts of the United Kingdom, the Queen’s Beasts might
offer a worthwhile source of ideas.
Non-heraldic series
Although an emphasis has been placed on heraldry, designers are strongly encouraged to consider other
themes that could represent Britain. These might include the flora or fauna of Britain, geographic
features, British achievements whether social, political or cultural, or British institutions. Portraits
depicting famous Britons are unlikely to be favoured because of the invidious nature of choosing
appropriate candidates and also to avoid having a portrait on both sides of a coin. [quoted form Royal Mint site]
British Coin Designs
Useful Books
The following books may be found useful in providing background knowledge of heraldry and the history
of the United Kingdom coinage.
Boutell’s Heraldry, C. W. Scott and J. P. Brooke-Little (London, 1978)
The Heraldic Imagination, R. Dennys (London, 1975)
The Royal Arms: Its Graphic and Decorative Development, C. Hasler (London, 1980)
Standard Catalogue of British Coins, published annually by Spink (London, 2005)
English Coins, G. C. Brooke (London, 1976)
British Coin Designs: Entered into The 2005 Royal Mint Competition
ContentLink™