New British Coins Design Competition

Reverse of 2005 Gold Sovereign

NEW REVERSE DESIGNS
NOTES FOR GUIDANCE 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.

SHAPE AND SIZE
The coins will be the same shape and size as the existing circulating coins as detailed below.

Denomination	Composition	Diameter	Edge	Shape
Penny	Copper-plated steel	20.30 mm	Plain	Round
Two pence	Copper-plated steel	25.90 mm	Plain	Round
Five pence	Cupro-nickel	18.00 mm	Milled	Round
Ten pence	Cupro-nickel	24.50 mm	Milled	Round
Twenty pence	Cupro-nickel	21.40 mm	Plain	Equilateral curve heptagon
Fifty pence	Cupro-nickel	27.30 mm	Plain	Equilateral curve heptagon

As far as the twenty pence is concerned, designers should give consideration to the raised outer platform which is a required feature of this particular coin. With both the twenty and fifty pence, designers are asked to bear in mind that the top of their designs should coincide with one of the seven corners of the coin.

OBVERSE
The obverse will bear the existing portrait of the Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley, approved for use on United Kingdom coins from 1 January 1998.

REVERSE
A reverse design is required for each of the specified denominations and those taking part in the competition are allowed a free hand to prepare a coherent series of designs in whatever way they wish. Successful coinage designs are almost always emblematic in style and those taking part in the competition are asked to keep this in mind regardless of whether the designs are heraldic or non-heraldic.

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
. 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)

Inscription
The designs must incorporate the denominational value of the coin in either of the following two ways and any font can be used for this purpose.

ONE PENNY	1 PENNY	TWO PENCE	2 PENCE
FIVE PENCE	5 PENCE	TEN PENCE	10 PENCE
TWENTY PENCE	20 PENCE	FIFTY PENCE	50 PENCE

Space can be found for the date on the obverse and it is therefore left to the discretion of designers whether or not to include this as part of their designs.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
In the first instance drawings only are required. The inclusion of large areas of shading can create an attractive impression but, since it may not always be possible to reproduce such features in metal, it is requested that this type of treatment be kept to a minimum.
Plaster or clay models, roughly seven inches in diameter, will be requested of short-listed designs, although, by agreement, these can be prepared on behalf of the designers by the Royal Mint. For a model of this size, depending on the design, the following measurements are likely to be recommended:
maximum relief: 0.048 inches (1.22 mm);
minimum relief: 0.015 inches (0.38 mm);
relief of letters: 0.024 inches (0.61 mm).
A model of larger dimensions, up to sixteen inches, would be acceptable and in this case the above figures may be proportionally increased.

DELIVERY OF DRAWINGS
There is no limit to the number of drawings that may be submitted by designers. They should be addressed to Coin Design Competition, Museum, Royal Mint, Llantrisant, Pontyclun CF72 8YT (telephone number 0845 6088111; e-mail museum@royalmint.gov.uk) and must reach the Royal Mint by
MONDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2005.

SELECTION
All drawings will be inspected by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee, which meets under the chairmanship of Professor Sir Christopher Frayling. To ensure impartiality it is requested that no initials or identifying marks be included on the drawings, but the winning designer will subsequently be allowed to add his or her initials if desired.

PAYMENT
Those submitting designs as part of the public competition, other than the specially-invited artists, will not receive an initial fee but they will be eligible for all subsequent payments. A fee of £1000 per model will be paid to those invited by the Advisory Committee to prepare models of their designs, though this payment will be reduced to £250 per model if the models, by agreement, are prepared on behalf of the designers by the Royal Mint. There will be an additional sum of £5000 for each of the models finally recommended by the Advisory Committee.
The winning designer will be required formally to assign copyright of their designs to the Crown, and the sums mentioned above represent payment in full for all purposes for which the approved designs will be used.

ENQUIRIES
Any enquiries in connection with this competition, technical or otherwise, should be directed to the Librarian & Curator at the address, e-mail or telephone number given above.
Royal Mint
August 2005

Additional Notes
. For archive purposes all drawings submitted will be retained by the Royal Mint.
. Those involved in organising and judging the competition may not submit designs.
. The recommendations of the Royal Mint Advisory Committee will be passed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer who, if he agrees, will submit them to Her Majesty the Queen for formal approval.
. If the Royal Mint Advisory Committee is not satisfied that any of the designs represent an improvement on those already in use it ultimately reserves the right to recommend that there be no change.