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.

Coin & Mint News™ opens the first of this year’s ‘Remarkable New Issues’ segment, in partnership with CoinsWeekly, by highlighting three radically different new collectible issues that are notable for one reason or another.

This year has seen much change that has impacted world of coins, and yet much remains the same. Three key trends were remarked upon by Coin & Mint News™ last year – environmental sustainability, effective circulation, and industry collaboration – and these only continue to grow in importance.

As technologies and minting techniques develop suppliers and mints are producing ever more advanced coins and precious metal products. To that end, Coin & Mint News™ is beginning a new segment in partnership with CoinsWeekly to highlight new collectible issues that are notable for one reason or another.

Estonia is set to introduce new rounding rules next year, with the country also planning to cease minting 1 and 2 cent coins.

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.

The Coin Conference takes place in Lisbon, from 28-30 October, against a backdrop of considerable change in the world of circulating coinage. The agenda is busy and full of substance, reflecting the key challenges, and opportunities, that face issuers and producers.

AI is an inevitable evolution in many aspects of the minting business. At its core, it automates repetitive tasks, making it a powerful tool for numerous applications within a modern mint.

The next edition of the Directory of Circulating Coins is currently being compiled, and is scheduled for publication this Autumn. First developed by the publishers of Currency News in 2014, the upcoming issue will be the fourth edition published.