COTY 2026 Most Innovative Coin nominees include cube, lipstick and paper airplane shapes

This article is based on a Numismatic News article published on August 21, 2026. It describes the nominees in the Most Innovative Coin category of COTY 2026; it does not report the results.

The category criteria

Coins in this category are judged on how well they fit the term "innovative concept in coinage." The criteria define this as "Pioneering metallic alloy issues, non-typical coinage materials, planchet shapes, distinct visual themes or other innovations." They also state that "special consideration should be given to technological advancements, which forward minting ideas and mechanics."

Unusual shapes

Burundi's "Greek Gods – 3D Cubes" (500 francs, silver), made by Shanghai New Century Minting Co. Ltd., is minted in a cube shape. Each side shows mythological figures and symbolic elements, such as Zeus sitting on a throne with lightning bolts and an eagle.

Niue's "Paper Airplane – Folded Dreams" (2 dollars, silver), by Power Coin, takes the shape of a 3D paper airplane, with the tip slightly bent as if it has been launched.

France's "90 Years of Lancôme" (10 euro, silver), by the Monnaie de Paris, is shaped like a tube of Lancôme lipstick and includes the rose stamped on the lipstick. The reverse shows a rose unfurling with a guilloche pattern.

Canada's "The Calling of an Engineer" (25 dollars, silver), by the Royal Canadian Mint, marks the centennial of Canada's ritual Calling of an Engineer, in which new engineers are given an Iron Ring. The design shows a computer screen with elements of different engineering fields. The coin has a faceted edge and raised rim to resemble the profile of the Iron Ring.

Lithuania's "Metro Cattolico" (20 euro, silver), by the Lithuanian Mint, is minted from a 995mm long strip, symbolizing the length of the universal measurement. The term "metre," or metro cattolico, was used in Tito Livio Burattini's book "Misura Universale."

Mechanisms

Samoa's "Atlantis – Sliding Door" (10 dollars, silver and base metal), by Shanghai Ji Yun Culture and Creativity Ltd., has a sliding door on the reverse. When closed, it shows a seafaring scene with a towering ship and a sea creature. When opened, it reveals the hidden city of Atlantis, with a gold-plated architectural element and mythic guardians.

Djibouti's "The Journey of Marco Polo – Puzzle Coins" (250 francs, silver), by Shanghai Jin Jia Medals, Ltd., has a compass rose on the obverse. The reverse carries five gold-plated puzzle pieces showing scenes from Marco Polo's journey; placed together, they surround a central portrait of Polo, set against a world map.

Italy's "Voyage of the Amerigo Vespucci Ship" is a set of two coins, a 2 euro and a 10 euro, in copper nickel and nickel brass, from the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato. The 2 euro coin can be placed inside the 10 euro coin. The 2 euro obverse shows the Amerigo Vespucci training ship at sea; the 10 euro has a compass with the cardinal points on the obverse and the globe on the reverse.

Finishes and decoration

The Cook Islands' "Butterfly" (5 dollars, silver), by CIT, uses a nanoshine effect: fine lines shine against an obsidian black finish, making the butterfly seem to glow.

Australia's "Extragalactic" (25 AUD, silver), by the Perth Mint, shows the Whirlpool Galaxy on the reverse, with the galaxy's location on the celestial sphere in the inscriptions. It has patina coloring, and each coin is hand-set with natural pink, gold and white diamonds.

Source: Numismatic News, "COTY 2026: Most Innovative Coin" (August 21, 2026).