The issue of estimated coin life has been a subject of speculation for a long time. There are limited data and systematic studies about the life of coins. Publicly available information from world mints suggests that coins could remain in circulation for at least 25 or 30 years. There are other sources suggesting that coins could last in circulation much longer and their lifetime could even exceed 50 years.

When ensuring payment efficiency, the goal is to minimise the number of coins and notes required to make and settle a payment. There are many ways to achieve this. Perhaps the simplest methodology to achieve an optimal currency structure for coins and banknotes is the principle of least effort, ie. the settlement of cash transactions using, on average, as few coins and/or banknotes as possible.

The latest figures from Eesti Pank on cash issuance detailed a fall in the number of coins issued in the first quarter of 2025. Approximately 1.5 million coins with a total value of €1.6 million were issued, with the most common being the €2 coin – which comprised half of the total number of coins issued into circulation.

President João Lourenço of Angola has officially opened the National Bank of Angola’s new high-tech cash centre – Casa do Kwanza – in the capital, Luanda for the storage, processing and distribution of the country’s currency, the kwanza. The cash centre has been four years in the making, at a budgeted cost of approximately Kz 33 billion ($36 million).

Euro coin counterfeiting figures from the European Commission report a growing number removed from circulation in recent years, and a sharp rise in 2023 in particular (the latest year it has reported on). The number came to 480,317 – up 62% compared to 2022 and the highest level by far since the introduction of the euro in 2002.

According to the latest figures published by Eesti Pank, Estonia’s central bank issued 3.2 million coins with a total value of €1.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. This marks a 28% decrease in the number of coins issued compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

Inflation is a much-talked about topic, particularly as currencies battle against environmental disasters, energy crises, conflicts, and the aftereffects of the COVID pandemic, to name a few culprits. Therefore, it seemed timely that the topic of high inflation and coins was covered at last year’s Coin Conference, held in Lisbon, Portugal.

During the recent Coin Conference speakers presented on coin circulation in their respective countries or regions – with shifting circulation trends, efficiency issues, and collaboration as key to solving these as common themes. Here, Coin & Mint News™ focuses on the United States.

Earlier this month, IACA held a webinar titled ‘Cash Visibility: How the Royal Canadian Mint Manages Canada’s Circulation Coins in Real-Time’, in which the Royal Canadian Mint detailed their strategies and systems for managing cash visibility for coin in Canada.

Earlier this year, the Belgian Treasury launched a #spendyourchange campaign encouraging citizens to use their loose change, following warnings from several key trade federations in Belgium of an artificial coin shortage.