Britannia returns to circulating coins

[Nick 329]

More details here.

[Nordle11 564]

I don't understand why the designs on the coins we produce now are so basic and underwhelming, even more so as time goes on.

It's like they can't be bothered anymore, I mean look at the (lack of) detail on her hair!?! Let alone everything else in the design.

Sorry to moan, it's good to see her back on the currency, but they certainly could have done a better job of it

[davidrj 194]

That looks like a design drawing rather than the coin, which hopefully may be better

[sound 25]

Well she looks much better on the back of an EDWARD VII florin.

Mark

[scott 144]

not the worst design in the world

[Charlie 8]

I quite like the new design. Nice to see Britannia back on circulation coins.

[Chris Perkins 228]

It's a bit blobby indeed, like all modern coins, but I think it's attractive despite the blobbiness. The trident looks a bit small, more like a fork than a mighty trident.

[damian1986 142]

This is something that bothers me too.

The below is much more impressive so let's not discredit the designers too much on this one!

I think that the designs out to be the best that they have ever been!!

Using CNC machines for producing dies would seem to be so much better than the older reducing machines; my understanding is that dies can be produced relatively quickly now by scanning the sculpted surfaces rather than having to trace over them for 3+ days or however long it took.

And also, the designers tend to use a mixture of digital technologies along with traditional clay and metal work to arrive at a final sculpture - some use the digital technologies to fine-tune a design having done most of the sculpting by hand, for example. Either way there's an abundance of technology available to creatives to do as they please and the software is in no way limited in what it can do.

So a couple of things I wonder:

( a ) is there a mandate to design coins conducive to lower production costs (by limiting the relief in designs)?

( b ) has the improvement in technology actually brought with it a dumbing down of the creative hand? (an analogy might be: calculators and computer software reducing the need to practice mental arithmetic)

( c ) do designers really get given enough time to produce quality work? The best designs are usually underpinned by days, weeks, months of thought and are inspired. If it's just a case of getting designs out of the door then what do you expect.

( d ) presumably the pressures of each strike are really set at the bare minimum in order churn out high volumes. A proof striking of this design will give you a better idea.

Edited February 27, 2015 by damian1986

[Coinery 1,147]

Toast anyone?

It does seem to be another lazy design. What ever happened to the fine detail we used to find on farthings, and the even smaller denominations of the early 20th century? Has all our advances in technology made it harder, rather than easier, to emulate the artwork of times past?

[sound 25]

Stewie,

You wise old sage. We just really haven't advanced much gave we.?

Mark

[damian1986 142]

Compare the picture I posted with the coin's design.

Oh hello Nordle

[Coinery 1,147]

I honestly don't get it, Mark? Elizabeth I turned out some sharper milled coins 450 years ago!

[Coinery 1,147]

'I threw me pitchfork at your dog to keep quiet!'

Written for our new £2 Britannia!

Ok, so it's nice and contemporary, but where's the quality in its strike? The blue image of the design looks promising, the coin itself...?

[Paulus 1,975]

[Coinery 1,147]

[copper123 1,482]

I dont think peter would not make a good britania now but back then he wasn't bad.

Britannia is "forever young" to steel another great songwrighters lines

Edited February 27, 2015 by copper123

[Coinery 1,147]

Go Bobby D. great song!

[Coinery 1,147]

Bored now!

[VickySilver 830]

I don't think it so bad. Actually, her visage is MUCH NICER than as she appeared on the reverse of the E7 florin - have you ever looked at that Britannia's face under magnification, say on the matte proof? Yikes, that's a mug!

[Paulus 1,975]

Bored now!

lol what software are you using there Stu?

[Coinery 1,147]

http://www.serif.com/pageplus/

I got totally carried away after that, but deleted it, thinking 'enough's enough!'

[Paulus 1,975]

Can't beat a bit of classic prog

Edited February 28, 2015 by Paulus

[Rob 3,152]

Here we go. A direct comparison between something contemporary, showing the fine detail of the tiara on a 2002 £2, and something current in about 25 AD. No prize for the winner.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Rob

[scott 144]

where is she off to? whenever I see that I see one of those little sacks on the pole where she is carrying her belongings

[VickySilver 830]

They use those tridents down in Louisiana to hunt bullfrogs...Think they call them "gigs" or something to that effect.

Rob, I take it then that you are not in particular a Royalist? LOL

Edited February 28, 2015 by VickySilver