What do people do with spare cash, particularly coins? That is the perennial question asked by central banks, mints, and those involved in ensuring that cash continues to circulate effectively. Although there is a phenomenal amount of cash in circulation, there is often a gap between circulation/production figures and availability of certain denominations on the street. This is arguably a greater issue with lower denominations and therefore coins specifically, and it is unsurprising that companies are noticing the issue and developing systems to gather spare cash and get it back into circulation. Enter Changebox and its founder and CEO, Chase Goggans.

Production of the humble penny (one cent coin), long a staple of US American currency, officially ceased last year. This seems to have created an unexpected set of challenges for businesses, banks, and consumers across the United States. While pennies remain legal tender and existing coins will continue to circulate, access to them has already become an issue, prompting retailers to adopt new practices and the US Treasury to issue guidance.

Registration is now open for The Coin Conference 2026, which is scheduled to take place in Budapest, Hungary, from 28-30 September. The main programme for the event is currently being finalised and is set to be released soon. In the meantime, the two pre-conference workshops have now been announced.

A few recent personnel updates from Osborne Coinage, the Lithuanian Mint, and the Royal Canadian Mint.

As debates continue about the future of money, one institution consistently aware of and exploring the crossroads of cash, digital currency, and economic sovereignty is Monnaie de Paris. At the recent World Money Fair in Berlin, Coin & Mint News™ spoke to its CEO, Marc Schwartz, about the role of cash in an increasingly digital world, the Mint’s continuing success, and the launch of several new programmes in 2026.

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.

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.

In August 2024, Global Coin Solutions incorporated its first overseas subsidiary office in Tokyo. Nearly 18 months after the company’s expansion into the heart of Asia’s coin market, Coin & Mint News™ caught up with founder and President, Scott Hutchings, about its development, the complexities of global coin repatriation, and the growing social impact of its charitable initiatives.

Bullion International Group (BIG), part of MKS PAMP GROUP, has signed a binding agreement to acquire a majority stake in SOLIT. The acquisition marks a new step in BIG’s international growth strategy, expanding its European footprint.

The recent World Money Fair, held annually in Berlin at the end of January and beginning of February, is typically titled ‘the largest coin fair in the world’. This year’s iteration welcomed 320 exhibitors to the three day event, including mints and national banks from around 50 countries.

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 Royal Dutch Mint (RDM) has secured a new multi-year contract with the Central Bank of Ireland to mint all Irish collector coins and, from May 2026, €2 commemorative coins celebrating Irish culture and heritage. This agreement represents a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between RDM and several European central banks.

The International Currency Association (ICA) and the International Mint Industry Association (IMIA) have announced that they will merge to become a combined industry association. The two organisations will join forces under the ICA umbrella, aiming to unite the global currency industry more closely and strengthen the collective voice for cash, including both banknotes and 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.

Danmarks Nationalbank has begun issuing Denmark's new coins featuring the effigy or monogram of the current reigning monarch, King Frederik X. Research and development of the new coins began in January 2024, following the abdication of his mother Queen Margrethe II and the King’s subsequent accession to the throne.

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.

During the year that the Royal Australian Mint (RAM) celebrated its 60th anniversary, it issued over 131 million circulating coins with a face-value of A$75.37 million, nearly three times the 47.7 million coins issued the previous year.

The United States has reached a turning point in its monetary history. After 232 years of continuous production, the penny (or one cent coin) has finally ceased to roll off the presses for circulation. The US Mint hosted a ceremonial strike event at its Philadelphia facility in mid-November, with United States Treasurer Brandon Beach striking the final circulating penny coin.

The Royal Mint has launched its 2026 Sovereign Collection, offering more advanced security features and a return to the classic yellow gold colouring.