In the Chinese conception of time, Chinese New Year is a vital juncture for new beginnings and new prospects, while the Twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs serve as cultural markers of time cycles. Among the zodiac animals, the fire horse symbolises vitality, freedom, reliability, progress, and success. The 2026 circulating commemorative coin for the Year of the Horse marks the final issue of the second series of Chinese New Year commemorative circulating coins.

This year has seen much change that has impacted world of coins, and yet much remains the same. Here, Coin & Mint News summarises the year in headlines.

The Beijing International Coin Exposition has been held since 1995, with 29 editions of the event resulting in a cumulative attendance of one million visits. The most recent Coin Expo was held at the China National Convention Center from 31 October to 2 November 2025.

Over the years, mints around the world have marked Remembrance Day with specially designed commemorative coins, honouring the lives and sacrifices of those who served. These coins tell a story not only of conflict and remembrance, but of the evolving ways we choose to commemorate history. Here, we cover a few recent commemorative issues.

Earlier this month, Carveco unveiled its new suite of AI-powered tools, designed to make creative manufacturing faster, more accessible, and more intuitive. It contains two new tools aimed to assist designers when creating 3D designs – Text to Relief and Image to Relief.

During the World’s Fair of Money, MKS PAMP Group announced the return of the Engelhard brand to the market with a new generation of faithfully recreated precious metals products. The United States Mint also unveiled a new release in line with the event, its first laser-engraved coin.

Updating the effigy featured on circulating coinage is common when a change of monarch occurs, such as in the case of the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II and ascension of King Charles III to the throne, or the abdication of Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II to pass the title on to her son, King Frederik X. This is also the case with the Vatican – the smallest sovereign state in the world located within Rome.

The Royal Mint has unveiled a ground-breaking addition to its bullion portfolio with the launch of the new secure Britannia bullion bar. Security features previously exclusive to its world-renowned coins have been rolled out into its gold bar range for the first time.

The 32nd Mint Directors Conference took place from 27-29 April in Cape Town, South Africa. The event, co-hosted by the South African Mint Company, focused on exploring the fusion of traditional minting practices with modern technological advancements.

Gold has been viewed as a safe-haven asset for centuries, a role that is unlikely to change anytime soon. By its very nature, the precious metal asset holds store of value and is a hedge against volatility as a so-called safe and stable investment, in addition to providing protection against inflation. The current weakening of the US dollar only reinforces this.