New Coin Designs For 2014

[HistoricCoinage]

Not sure I'm entirely smitten, but here are the new designs for the coming year.

[Peckris]

And that's the RM all over. One BIG anniversary (WW1) - you'd think that would be enough on its own and rightly deserving of its own £2 commem. But no, they have to add another much smaller one, Trinity House, and give IT its own (undeserved) £2. Plus the Commonwealth Games on a 50p, and two distinctly naff £1 reverses compared to previous offerings.

And is the Kitchener recruiting poster REALLY the best way to mark WW1? With the vast, tragic and unnecessary loss of life, a simple anonymous grave from Normandy would be far more appropriate than that jingoistic piece of cr*p.

[davidrj]

And is the Kitchener recruiting poster REALLY the best way to mark WW1? With the vast, tragic and unnecessary loss of life, a simple anonymous grave from Normandy would be far more appropriate than that jingoistic piece of cr*p.

Couldn't agree more Peck

[davidrj]

Not sure I'm entirely smitten, but here are the new designs for the coming year.

I don't use cash much these days, using plastic in the supermarket and my pass on the bus - so I still have lots of gaps in my collection of £2 coins, buying them is just not the same as finding them in change.

Should add, I like £2 coins - the only decimal issues that feel like proper money to an old fogey like me

Edited December 31, 2013 by davidrj

[HistoricCoinage]

And that's the RM all over. One BIG anniversary (WW1) - you'd think that would be enough on its own and rightly deserving of its own £2 commem. But no, they have to add another much smaller one, Trinity House, and give IT its own (undeserved) £2. Plus the Commonwealth Games on a 50p, and two distinctly naff £1 reverses compared to previous offerings.

And is the Kitchener recruiting poster REALLY the best way to mark WW1? With the vast, tragic and unnecessary loss of life, a simple anonymous grave from Normandy would be far more appropriate than that jingoistic piece of cr*p.

Precisely.

[Rob]

I'm only interested in a new issue if it was engraved by a new designer. Unfortunately the Olympic 50ps had 26 out of 29 designs by previous unknowns. If the new coins aren't by new designers, I don't need any examples - says he living in hope. I usually end up a year in arrears anyway before I find out who did the work.

[jaggy]

Normandy was WW2 ... but I take your point. Kitchener makes me think of the pop posters of the 1960s. There are so many more fitting ways to commemorate the anniversary of the start of that war.

[Peckris]

Normandy was WW2 ... but I take your point. Kitchener makes me think of the pop posters of the 1960s. There are so many more fitting ways to commemorate the anniversary of the start of that war.

Yes, to my shame I can't remember the names of the principal WW1 graveyards in Flanders.

[jaggy]

Normandy was WW2 ... but I take your point. Kitchener makes me think of the pop posters of the 1960s. There are so many more fitting ways to commemorate the anniversary of the start of that war.

Yes, to my shame I can't remember the names of the principal WW1 graveyards in Flanders.

I would have thought a field of poppies or maybe the image of a column of marching infantry would be better than a graveyard. Or maybe borrow the design from one of the WW1 medals.

[azda]

I think we have some of the ugliest coinage in the World. Bring back standing/seated britannia anyday

[pies]

The one pound coin is fug ugly

[VickySilver]

When I think of WW I, I remember visiting so many village churches with commemorative plaques listing all the villagers that died in that terrible war - many lost in single futile charges at German machine gun nests - an absolute waste of human life. And not to reiterate Lord K's excesses in the Boer war. Better stop whilst ahead....

[Paulus]

And is the Kitchener recruiting poster REALLY the best way to mark WW1?

Absolutely NOT.

[davidrj]

Bring back standing/seated britannia anyday

I agree Dave, trouble is they would f*ck it up!

Look what the French have done to Roty's beautiful Sower

Edited December 31, 2013 by davidrj

[Rob]

Bring back standing/seated britannia anyday

I agree Dave, trouble is they would f*ck it up!

Look what the French have done to Roty's beautiful Sower

It's a bit like replacing artistic competence with a join the dots book.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Rob

[azda]

Bring back standing/seated britannia anyday

I agree Dave, trouble is they would f*ck it up!

Look what the French have done to Roty's beautiful Sower

Geez that looks like a Lowry. The only recent Design i like was the 1997 £2 Britannia REV design, they must of sacked that engraver because nothing has come up to scratch since and i can't remember what was great previous to that, i think we're talking decades. They don't seem to have any artistic flair at the mint anymore.

[Rob]

Part of the problem is that they are continually trying to portray a known figure, whose looks are already well known. If you are introducing something completely new there is no fixed image with which to compare. Comparing the above for example might lead you to say the 1999 sower was different, but acceptable/not based on individual artistic taste. Comparing with the original leaves the second one with a handicap. What would be more interesting would be a modern competent artistic rendition of a Picasso. i.e put on canvas what Picasso couldn't(?).

[Peckris]

Bring back standing/seated britannia anyday

I agree Dave, trouble is they would f*ck it up!

Look what the French have done to Roty's beautiful Sower

Geez that looks like a Lowry. The only recent Design i like was the 1997 £2 Britannia REV design, they must of sacked that engraver because nothing has come up to scratch since and i can't remember what was great previous to that, i think we're talking decades. They don't seem to have any artistic flair at the mint anymore.

Was that the standing Britannia in a warship with flowing hair and robes? That was a cracking design!

[azda]

Aye

[Sword]

Bring back standing/seated britannia anyday

I agree Dave, trouble is they would f*ck it up!

Look what the French have done to Roty's beautiful Sower

Geez that looks like a Lowry. The only recent Design i like was the 1997 £2 Britannia REV design, they must of sacked that engraver because nothing has come up to scratch since and i can't remember what was great previous to that, i think we're talking decades. They don't seem to have any artistic flair at the mint anymore.

Was that the standing Britannia in a warship with flowing hair and robes? That was a cracking design!

I have just been to the engraver / designer's website. http://www.philipnathanart.co.uk/coins/

Really like some of his work. He is in his seventies and so I guess has retired from royal mint coin designing.

[TomGoodheart]

The shamrock/flax £1 is ok. But the others .. meh.

"We wanted to reveal the coins to the British public and show the incredible works of art they can expect to see enter circulation this year."

waiting ....

[scottishmoney]

I think we have some of the ugliest coinage in the World. Bring back standing/seated britannia anyday

It is the sign of the ruination of the British nation. My first encounter with the new British coinage was a chance find on the floor at Kyiv Borispol airport a few years ago - and my thought was wow- what a downer! An 82 year old monarch and a smidgen of a shield on the reverse. No proud Britannia looking out to the seas she ruled, no pride and no powerful statement.

[azda]

I think we have some of the ugliest coinage in the World. Bring back standing/seated britannia anyday

It is the sign of the ruination of the British nation. My first encounter with the new British coinage was a chance find on the floor at Kyiv Borispol airport a few years ago - and my thought was wow- what a downer! An 82 year old monarch and a smidgen of a shield on the reverse. No proud Britannia looking out to the seas she ruled, no pride and no powerful statement.

Your last sentence Sums it up exactly, no pride what so ever. There is just no Statement in any of our designs in recent years

[azda]

The shamrock/flax £1 is ok. But the others .. meh."We wanted to reveal the coins to the British public and show the incredible works of art they can expect to see enter circulation this year."waiting ....

You have email from me Richard

[TomGoodheart]

The shamrock/flax £1 is ok. But the others .. meh."We wanted to reveal the coins to the British public and show the incredible works of art they can expect to see enter circulation this year."waiting ....

You have email from me Richard

Replied! Hope it helps!