Dollar ReDe$ign Project

Tunnel Vision : US Mint Gives the Penny a Face Lift

via usmint.gov

Another priceless example of the Mint's inability to think outside the circle.

Filed under // Coins Lincoln Mint

Posted March 7, 2010

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Change we Should Believe in (also) ... British 'Style'

It may be an urban myth that the English are a bunch of good for nothing toothless yobs who still live in poverty and bomb shelters, but at least they seem to take redesigning their currency seriously. Even throwing it out to the general public to submit ideas (over 4,000 entries, nice) ... pictured are the winning ideas from a recent competition held by the UK's Royal Mint created by a 26 year-old designer with no currency experience (read more).

In a related story, typeface designer’s, Hoefler and Frere-Jones – who designed President Obama’s campaign typeface Gotham – think the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing now need to step up to the plate. Of course, we agree. 'In March 2008, the US Department of the Treasury, introduced a new five Dollar bill featuring a big purple Helvetica five. The 'redesign' was the work of a 147-year-old government agency which employs 2,500 people and has an annual budget of $525,000,000.' Read original article ...

Filed under // Coins

Posted June 2, 2009

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Going Dutch : the Netherlands and Architecture

It seems the Dutch have this currency thing down. Everyone loved the Guilder and it seems they’re at it again. “The design of a new commemorative 5 Euro coin, called the Architecture Fiver, is based on the subject of 'Netherlands and Architecture'. Designed by artist Stani Michiels, the portrait of the Dutch Queen Beatrix is constructed with names of important Dutch architects. On the outside the names are clearly readable, while they slowly get smaller to the center. The back side of the coin is designed as a book shelf. The books rise as buildings towards the center. Through their careful placement they combine to outline the Netherlands, while birds' silhouettes suggest the geographical location of the capitals of all the provinces.” Now why can’t we take a page from their book when it comes to our currency ... at least in terms of being more progressive. Please. (Originally published here)

Filed under // Coins

Posted May 28, 2009

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Dollar Coins are Bad : A 'Conspiracy'?

Edgar, via email, said ...
“They should just get rid of the Dollar bill and replace it with the Dollar coin. The one Dollar bill wears out very quickly and it is actually very expensive to reprint every year. But the reason they haven't eliminated the Dollar bill is because the lobby for the paper they make Dollar bills from has pushed to keep the one Dollar bill in circulation. Around 2000, when the Sacagawea Dollar coin was released, there was going to be a commercial showing someone trying to use a Dollar bill at a vending machine and failing constantly while someone else just drops in a Dollar coin with great ease. However, the Dollar paper lobby nixed this idea by inserting a clause into the Congressional bill (that authorized the campaign) to make sure any advertising wouldn’t show the coin as ‘superior’ to the bill in any way.”

Filed under // Coins

Posted May 26, 2009

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