If it ain't broke.....
Categories: just-life
Date: 14 April 2008 16:37:18
...don't fix it as the saying goes. Because it'll only go wrong and you'll end up looking like a fool. But not as foolish as the design for the new coins of the realm.
Now, as a special commemorative set I would admit that having the Royal Standard over six coins (the penny to fifty pence pieces) with the image as a whole on the pound is very clever, however this is not planned on being a commemorative set. This is the brand new design that will be replacing all the old, no longer "fit for purpose" regular coins (apart from the two pound coin, that's ok).
This I'm not so happy about.
There are people who are going on about how having the denominations in writing as opposed to numerals will make it harder for non-english speakers to know what each is worth. There are others who might comment that unless you see the whole, individually they look rather... strange. Some comment on the fact that Wales isn't represented on the Royal Standard and therefore ask whether this "inclusiveness" doesn't include the Welsh (even though the designer is Welsh and the Royal Mint is based in Wales).
The reason why I'm annoyed is the fact that after over three-hundred and thirty years of appearing on British coins, Britannia is being taken away. In fact, she has appeared on coins for a lot longer, having been introduced by the Romans, but it was Charles II who brought her back.
Personally, I feel that this is simply change for changes sake. I know that graphic designers have got to do something with their time, but quite frankly there should be someone who had enough sense somewhere to tell the focus group (or whomever it was who thought that the coinage needed changing) where to get off. Preferably at the end of a pier, but I would settle for a long way away from things that are working without their help.
As the Royal Mint's website says, "familiar designs that have served us well for almost 40 years". It doesn't say why they have to be changed.