New British Coins Design Competition

Reverse of 2005 Gold Sovereign

Entries are expected to flood in as members of the public, and experienced artists alike, are invited to make their mark on history by coming up with the first new designs in forty years for the reverse, or tail side, of the coins.

With the exception of the 20p, which was first issued in 1982, the reverse designs of coins from 1p to 50p were chosen in the late 1960s at the time of decimalisation. While the current designs have served their purpose well, it is hoped that a new series may better reflect modern Britain.

Gerald Sheehan, Chief Executive of the Royal Mint: "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."

The design brief gives would-be designers a 'free hand' but as heraldry has been an important element in the design of British coins for centuries, entrants may want to look at interpreting heraldry in an 'imaginative and creative way' for a modern coinage. Alternatively, the brief suggests that they might like to consider themes to represent Britain, such as flora or fauna, geographic features, social, political or cultural achievements or British institutions. At a later stage members of the public will be consulted on the designs and will be given the opportunity to express their views prior to formal approval.

Neither the £1 nor £2 coins are included in the competition; a new series of reverse designs for the £1 coin (featuring famous bridges from around the United Kingdom) was introduced last year, while the bi-colour £2 coin - and its design representing Britain's industrial and technological evolution - was introduced as recently as 1998. (Actually it was 1997 - LC)

Gerald Sheehan, Chief Executive of the Royal Mint, said the competition is an exciting way of making sure that the Mint has the widest possible input into new coin designs from as many people as possible. "Although we use coins everyday and we often take them and their designs for granted, it is fascinating how strongly people feel about the coinage and how integral it is to our history.

"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. We are looking forward to seeing what ideas are submitted," he added.

Competition to find new designs for United Kingdom coins
The Royal Mint is launching a competition to find new designs for the reverses of six United Kingdom circulating coins, from the penny to the fifty pence. 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.

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.

Your design ideas should be presented as drawings and they should be sent to the Royal Mint. Full details of where to send them and further guidance notes are provided in the full briefing paper (please see PDF download). 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.

Closing date: MONDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2005

Anyone interested in entering the competition should obtain an information and briefing pack from the Royal Mint.

The Royal Mint has ordered the redesign six of the eight coins for the first time since decimalisation in 1971.

Anti-euro campaigners have insisted there would be no point going to the expense of changing the coins if they were then to be ditched for the euro, but the Treasury denies any link.

Neil O'Brien, of the Vote No campaign, said: "I don't think anybody believes there is any prospect of us joining the euro in the foreseeable future. Today's announcement shows institutions are planning on that basis."

A Treasury spokesman said: "There has been no change in our position on the single currency."

The competition is open to experienced artists and members of the public and the top prize is £30,000.

The brief gives designers a "free hand", but the Royal Mint said heraldry had been an important feature in British coins for centuries and entrants may want to look at interpreting heraldry in an "imaginative and creative way".

Alternatively, they could consider themes to represent Britain, such as geographical features, social, political or cultural achievements or British institutions.

Apr 29: Britain 'not ready to adopt the euro'

All Change in 2008
It has now been announced that the new designs will be introduced onto UK coins during 2008, probably around the middle part of the year.

Existing Designs & Specifications of British Coins

Open Competition Brief

2009 Design Competition for 2012 London Olympics
The Royal Mint has announced a public design competition, to create 29 designs for 50 pence coins, for the 30th Olympics Games London 2012.
We guess that the new coin designs will start appearing on coins dated 2009, and will continue through 2010, and 2011, to 2012 itself.
This holds the possibility that the British public will catch coin fever in a similar way to the US States Quarters programme, which ran over 10 years with 5 coins per year making a total of 50 designs.

Two Pences

Five Pences

Ten Pences

Twenty Pences