Are So-Called Granny Bait Coins a Sign that Australia is Going Down the Toilet?

[markn]

So here's something to discuss.  Last night at coin club someone made a very interesting point about how the style and quality of coins that a civilisation produces can correlate quite closely with the state of that civilisation at the that time.  

For example, in the supposed Greek classical period of 500-400BC Greek civilisation was at it's peak and the coins made during this period are considered to be among the most beautiful ever made.  Just 100 or 200 years later the quality of the coins had lowered considerably and the Greek civilisation was in decline.  Similar comparisons can be drawn with Roman coinage made from 100BC to 100AD being beautiful and distinctive when the empire was stomping it's way across Europe.  However, just 200 years later when the barbarians were burning down the empire the coinage had gone to pot.

So let's look at Australia.  In 1927 we made coins that look like this:



And here we are in 2013 and we make coins that look like this:



So the question is: What do the coins that the RAM (and PM) make for collectors say about us as a country?

[trout]

There is absolutely NO comparison between a Canberra florin and a pad printed 25mm dollar coin.
The Canberra florin IMHO is by far the best looking Australian predecimal coin, The seal coin is just another "grannybait" that is produced because the mint "Just knows" that us collectors have to have it to make a series of coins complete.
On the other hand the Canberra florin was produced to commemorate an important part of Australian history and was a well executed design ( Unlike the Melbourne coin) Yuk.

[purplepennyhunter]

Is the Weddell Seal not an important Polar Animal in the food chain to be deserving of a commemorative *cough* ?? coin design. Surely Mr Weddell was an Aussie *cough* ??  NOT.

I guess it's almost as bad as a coral island in the Pacific issuing commemoratives for significant Australian events.

[trout]

Is the Weddell Seal not an important Polar Animal in the food chain to be deserving of a commemorative *cough* ?? coin design. Surely Mr Weddell was an Aussie *cough* ??  NOT.

I guess it's almost as bad as a coral island in the Pacific issuing commemoratives for significant Australian events.

I totally :i_agree: PP
But as a collector the mint has me by the "Short and curlies", If they produce a 25mm dollar coin I WILL add it to my collection :blush:

[robbiegal]

did you know that the clam shell on the florin symbolises religion/church

and I suppose that the ice bergs symbolise - well, ice and global warming and how the little fellas' are threatened etc

[trout]

did you know that the clam shell on the florin symbolises religion/church

and I suppose that the ice bergs symbolise - well, ice and global warming and how the little fellas' are threatened etc

I think the clamshell comes from a Botticelli painting and the ice is just something the eskimo's keep the meat in :diablo:

[dreamcatcher]

That is a great comparison. Made me laugh at how rediculous some coins have become. But then again it's capitalism/commercialism that drives the creation of stupid coins, it's not art or creativity or passion. And capitalism depends on money...

[JeffH]

I thought the Franklin Mint specialised in the granny bait.
Pity the RAM doesn't leave them to it and concentrate on excellence instead.

[Splock]

Or you could look at it this way...



Zoo Token



Work of Art

[JeffH]

Point taken. Some nice designs still appear. Pity they don't try harder with circulation issues too.

[Fulvio]

As long as we keep buying trash at ever-increasing prices, they'll keep milking us. The only way to express displeasure is to stop playing the game. Once the sales fall, they might just reconsider their path.

Yeah, I know... I'm dreaming...

[purplepennyhunter]

That is a great comparison. ........ it's not art or creativity ...

Those coloured coins are not art they are a coin sized computer graphic. But I need them to keep my dollar collection complete.

On the other hand Wojciech's Kangaroo at Sunset and many of his other designs are sculptured coin engravers masterpieces worthy of my collection.

[echidna]

NCLT issues are produced with one goal in mind - to make profit.
You could argue that some have artistic merit etc.
But the general blurb that these coins are great collectables is false in my opinion.
There are exceptions but most are only worth the intrinsic value when the time comes to sell.

The people who produce this rubbish are in it for the money and don't understand what real coin collecting is all about.
I believe that numismatics is about people and history not the actual coins.
Certainly not bells and whistles.
I consider these "coins" an insult.

Is Australia and Western civilisation in decline ?
Yes.
Are these crappy coins a symptom of this decline ?
I'd say its more about greed.

[trout]

Point taken. Some nice designs still appear. Pity they don't try harder with circulation issues too.

Nah that would make it too easy for you mob living under the bridge's :angel:

[acrellin]

OK, now this is a subject that really yanks my chain, and one that I think anyone who is involved with coins for any degree of time considers at one stage or another. I've had conversations with staff at both of our coin issuing authorities about just this, and unfortunately it often falls on deaf ears. Not always, but often.

The staff at both mints have targets they need to meet, just as the rest of us do in our working lives. Sales = an ongoing job. The lowest (?) common denominator, or put more politely, accessible designs are a low risk way of selling coins.

It's unfortunate that our designers aren't given the opportunity to run with a vanity project every now and then, one that challenges conventions or their own design abilities. Read the story about the 1907 high relief $20 for an idea of how someone in minting authority rebelled against the standard, a now timeless design. Anyone want to run for the President of Australia?

The fact that this question has been posed answers itself I think - despite the fact we have coins with colour / holograms or even with lights in their freaking boxes (that one really flipped me, I thought it was cool just for the audacity of it), I agree many of the ideas behind our current NCLT coins are stale. Not because they aren't innovative, but because they seem to be devoid of risk.

I nominate the 2008 (?) UK series of circulating coin designs as my favourite designs in the past few years, anything in high relief by the Perth Mint, and a few others. I like the idea of hobo nickels as a way of reclaiming the artistry of circulating coinage - some of them need to be seen to be believed.

You only need to flick through a Krause 1901~ catalogue to see what other countries are up to, it's a shame that innovation in design is disregarded as a path to commercial success by our issuing authorities at the moment, but there you have it.

Which current designs do y'all like?