The Central Bank of Solomon Islands has issued a new $1 coin into circulation featuring a new effigy on the obverse. The updated version retains the same dimensions as the previous issue, in addition to the Nguzu Nguzu motif on its reverse, but replaces the effigy of the late Queen Elizabeth II with that of King Charles III designed by Dan Thorne.

Germany’s National Cash Forum is now advocating rounding to the nearest five euro cents for cash payments, asking the Federal Ministry of Finance to follow suit and ‘advocate for, and press ahead with, a binding statutory rounding rule in Germany’.

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.

Coin & Mint News™ continues our ‘Remarkable New Issues’ segment, in partnership with CoinsWeekly, by highlighting three new collectible issues that celebrate a national icon or animal – and in the case of Canada, both.

The 32nd Mint Directors Conference is scheduled to take place from 27-29 April in Cape Town, South Africa. The event, co-hosted by the South African Mint Company, aims to explore the fusion of traditional minting practices with modern technological advancements.

As 8 March marked International Women’s Day, it seemed apt this month to take a look at some recent programmes that pay tribute to several notable women.

Last year was an eventful year for the Monnaie de Paris. Coin & Mint News™ spoke to the CEO of Monnaie de Paris, Marc Schwartz, at the recent World Money Fair in Berlin to discuss the Mint’s busy but successful year and its plans for 2025.

Coin & Mint News™ continues our ‘Remarkable New Issues’ segment, in partnership with CoinsWeekly, by highlighting two new collectible issues that are notable for the anniversaries they celebrate and one coin that is the first of its type.

‘Change For Coins: How to Harness the Passion of a New Generation of Collectors’ is the title of the Mint Directors Association’s upcoming webinar focusing on collectibles and leveraging product launches to grow brand loyalty and optimise commercial opportunities.

Germania Mint unveiled a new special release coin for the recent World Money Fair, featuring Black Light Colours technology. The 2025 Germania Black Silver WMF Edition coin utilises the Mint’s Black Light Colours – a technology born from anti-counterfeiting security – to showcase vibrant hidden colours when held under UV light.

The Bank of Zambia has announced the introduction of a new family of the Zambian currency. The new family of banknotes and coins will consist of six coins and six banknotes, and is scheduled for launch on 31 March 2025.

According to the US Mint’s Annual Report for 2024, the production and associated costs for circulating coinage continues to rise year-on-year. Much of the increased production costs this year have been attributed to the cost of metal acquisition, although this is far from the first time that penny and nickel costs exceed their face value.

The 2025 World Money Fair opened its doors to thousands of visitors earlier this year. Held 30 January to 1 February, the Fair welcomed over 13,600 visitors and more than 300 exhibitors from 50 nations to the annual event held in Berlin, Germany.

Debates surrounding low value coinage – their use, perceived usefulness, seigniorage, and so on – are hardly rare, particularly as countries such as the Bahamas, Estonia, Slovakia, and Lithuania have either previously or plan to introduce cash rounding, effectively dropping the lowest denominated coins regardless of them remaining legal tender.

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.

Two years after Croatia officially adopted the euro as its currency, around 4.3 billion kuna remains unexchanged. This includes 3.1 billion in banknotes and 1.2 billion in coins.

The 32nd Mint Directors Conference is scheduled to take place from 27-29 April in Cape Town, South Africa. The event, co-hosted by the South African Mint Company, aims to explore the fusion of traditional minting practices with modern technological advancements.

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.

The Royal Australian Mint typically mints the first coin of the year, due to its geographical position as one of the first countries to enter the new year and the event that it holds every 1 January. This year’s theme for the RAM’s Mintmark programme celebrates the Mint and its workers, coins, architecture, and coins.

Estonia has officially introduced new rounding rules as of 1 January, with the country also planning to cease minting 1 and 2 cent coins.