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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

In an era when physical cash is increasingly challenged by digital payments and the demand for circulating coins is shrinking in many countries, mints around the world are being compelled to rethink their business models. The decline in the traditional coinage business has resulted in many mints diversifying and finding new sources of revenue and roles beyond sheer volume production of circulating coins.

The Central Bank of Luxembourg has unveiled the designs of the country’s updated euro coins which feature HRH Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume on their national side. The new coins bearing the effigy of Grand Duke Guillaume – who acceded to the throne on 3 October – will enter circulation at the beginning of 2026.

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.

The Coin of the Year (COTY) Awards have been held every year since 1984, with a panel of judges nominating ten coins in each of the ten award categories. The winners of the most recent edition of the annual COTY Awards were announced at the 2025 World’s Fair of Money®, held in Oklahoma City mid-August.

The RCM has recently reported that it remains on track to achieve the goal of a carbon-neutral Circulation Business – including the Winnipeg facility – by 2030, with its Decarbonization Roadmap in place to improve the way that the Mint operates both of its facilities. Work is underway to achieve a carbon net-zero operation by 2050.

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.