As co-hosts of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Australian women’s national football team, the Matildas (so-called due to the country’s famous folk song, ’Waltzing Matilda’), have now been immortalised on a series of commemorative circulating coins by the Royal Australian Mint.

In the start of a new, periodic, series in Coin & Mint News™, we will be looking at the history of coinage in countries around the world, starting in this first article with Pakistan.

By its very nature, bullion is a valuable and more expensive commodity than standard commemorative coins comprised of nickel, copper or zinc, for example. This can lead to greater scrutiny of the items produced and their provenance.

In The Royal Mint's Annual Report 2022-23, the Chief Executive, Anne Jessopp, noted that it has been a pivotal year for the Mint as it embarked on a five-year business transformative plan. Revenue for the year increased by 33.82% to £1.87 billion, from £1.4 billion in FY 2022. Operating profit increased by 27.3% to £17.7 million compared with £13.9 million for the previous year.

The Banco de la República (Colombia) and the Mint of Finland have signed a new contract for the production and supply of Colombian coins, which includes three denominations – $50, $200 and $500 Colombian pesos.

The Reserve Bank of South Africa runs the South African Mint as a wholly owned subsidiary. In its 2022/23 annual report it highlighted the issue of the fourth decimal coin series on 3 May 2023, the first new coin series in 34 years.

Back in December, Coin & Mint News posed the question ‘how important is ethical sourcing?’, highlighting a few organisations that are considering the sourcing of their metals and looking at ways to make the process more transparent and sustainable.

In celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada, the Royal Canadian Mint has launched a new $2 commemorative circulation coin, which features the combined work of three artists.

Hosted by the Royal Canadian Mint and scheduled to take place this October, the 2023 Mint Directors Conference (MDC 2023) has announced the second keynote speaker for the programme.

We continue our periodic series of articles on the latest annual reports from central banks and the information they provide on circulating and commemorative coins.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is issuing gold coins which are specie rather than fiat money in an attempt to stabilise the Zimbabwean currency, bring inflation under control and reduce reliance on the US dollar.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has launched Coin Deposit Machines in partnership with several retailers, aiming to promote efficient coin recirculation in the country. According to the bank, the machines are ‘accessible, convenient, and efficient coin exchange facilities’.

The Italian government has appointed a new President and a new managing director for Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca della Stato (IPZS), the Italian Mint.

Leondaro Abdias, Director of Innovation and Market at the Brazilian mint, Casa da Moeda do Brasil, announced measures to combat illegal gold trade in Brazil during an event held in May titled ‘Ways of Gold: the Importance of Traceability to Prevent Illegality and Irregular Extraction’.

Earlier this year, Royal United Mint acquired Osborne Coinage Co, which is based in Cincinnati, Ohio and is the oldest private mint in the US. Coin & Mint News™ caught up with Vincent Van Hecke, CEO of RUM and the Royal Dutch Mint, to find out more about the acquisition, his plans for the company and where he sees the market for coins, bullion and tokens going in the next 10 years.

A number of central banks have recently released their annual reports, which include the latest figures on coins in circulation. Below are a selection of these reports and the figures noted within.

The Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten has selected the Royal Canadian Mint to produce and supply the countries’ new Caribbean guilder coins, which are scheduled for introduction in the second half of 2024.

In its annual report for 2022, INCM (Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda), described the year as a period of recovery, with a progressive increase in international business, despite the challenges posed by the conflict in Ukraine, the scarcity of raw materials and inflationary pressures.

The Currency Conference gala dinner on 16 May hosted the presentation of the latest International Association of Currency Affairs 2023 Excellence in Currency Awards.

Data and trends, managing circulation well, optimising specifications, and the role and value of coins were the key topics of the Currency Conference Coin workshop. Minting and circulating coins have challenges but a vibrant and bustling story was evident in all areas with much to discuss and debate.