December 8, 2016 – Krause Publications has announced the 100 nominees for the 2017 Coin of the Year awards. Each year, the awards honor the best in coin design from around the world.
The first round of voting by an international panel of judges must work through a list of 10 categories in which 98 nominated coins must be considered. All of the coins are dated or issued in 2015. The winners in each category will be recognized at the World Money Fair February 4, 2017, in Berlin, Germany.
Monthly newspaper World Coin News has been giving COTY awards annually since 1984. The World Money Fair and the Journal of East Asian Numismatics now co-sponsor them. The World Money Fair has been the home of these prestigious awards since 2008.
In the first round of balloting, judges pick one winner in each of the 10 categories.
A second round of voting will select the Coin of the Year from the narrowed field of 10 category winners.
Voting by the judges in the first round will conclude December 11.
A second round of judging will commence as soon as the votes can be tallied and a second ballot created. This round chooses the Coin of the Year from the winners in the 10 nominating categories.
Here is a full list of Coin of the Year nominees for the first round of voting by an international panel of judges:
Most Artistic Coin
- Australia, KM-2195, 1 Dollar, Silver, Merry Christmas
- Australia, KM-2203, 100 Dollar, Gold, Treasures of the World – Turquoise
- Austria, KM-3238, 25 Euro, Silver-Niobium, Cosmology
- Hungary, KM-882, 2,000 Forint, Copper, Mohacs National Memorial
- Italy, KM-387, 10 Euro, Silver, 70 Years of Peace in Europe
- Kazakhstan, KM-302, 500 Tenge, Silver, Treasures of the Steppes – Pendant
- Portugal, KM-858, 2.5 Euro, Copper-Nickel, UNESCO Culture Heritage O Fado
- Ukraine, KM-774, 5 Hryvnia, Copper-Nickel, Euromaidan
- United States, KM-617, 100 Dollars, Gold, High Relief American Liberty
- United States, KM-603, 1 Dollar, Copper-Zinc-Manganese-Nickel, Native American – Mohawk Ironworkers
Best Bi-Metallic Coin
- Canada, KM-1855, 2 Dollars, Bi-Metallic, 200th Anniversary of the Birth of John A. MacDonald
- Finland, KM-224, 5 Euro, Bi-Metallic, Lapland Reindeer
- Japan, Y-238, 500 Yen, Bi-Metallic, Nagasaki Prefecture
- Kazakhstan, KM-301, 500 Tenge, Bi-Metallic, 40th Anniversary of the Launch of the Venera 10 Venus Probe
- Lithuania, KM-213, 2 Euro, Bi-Metallic, Lithuanian Language
- Philippines, KM-294, 10 Piso, Bi-Metallic, 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Miguel Malvar
- South Africa, KM-590, 5 Rand, Bi-Metallic, 200th Anniversary of Griqua Town Coinage
- South Sudan, KM-4, 1 Pound, Bi-Metallic, Giraffe
- Switzerland, KM-154, 10 Francs, Bi-Metallic, Descent from the Alpine Pastures
- Uruguay, KM-141, 10 Peso, Bi-Metallic, 200th Anniversary of Reclamation of their Land (Independence)
Best Circulating Coin
- Australia, KM-2189, 2 Dollars, Aluminum-Bronze, Remembrance Day
- Austria, KM-3237, 5 Euro, Copper, Die Fledermaus
- Canada, KM-1852.2, 25 Cents, Nickel-Plated Steel, Colorized Red Poppy
- Egypt, KM-1001, 1 Pound, Bi-Metallic, Widening of the Suez Canal
- Japan, Y-234, 500 Yen, Bi-Metallic, Wakayama Prefecture
- New Zealand, KM-376, 50 Cents, Copper-Nickel, 100th Anniversary of ANZAC
- Russia, KM-1580, 5 Ruble, Nickel-Plated Steel, 170th Anniversary of the Russian Geographical Society Founding
- Transnistria, KM-201, 1 Ruble, Nickel-Plated Steel, 25th Anniversary of Independence
- United Arab Emirates, KM-112, 1 Dinar, Copper-Nickel, 50th Anniversary, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- United States, KM-598, 25 Cents, Copper-Nickel, Kisatchie National Forest
Best Contemporary Event Coin
- Australia, KM-2206, 15 Dollars, Gold, Battle of the Coral Sea
- Belarus, KM-487, 1 Ruble, Copper-Nickel, Eurasian Economic Union
- Canada, KM-1864, 20 Dollars, Silver, Battle of Britain
- Canada, KM-1863, 20 Dollars, Silver, 40th Anniversary of the Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald
- Germany, KM-345, 25 Euro, Silver, 25 Years of Unity
- Great Britain, KM-1304, 20 Pounds, Silver, Longest Reigning Monarch – Queen Elizabeth II
- Isle of Man, KM-1563, 1 Crown, Silver, Longest Reigning Monarch – Great Seal
- Japan, Y-243, 1,000 Yen, Silver, Great East Japan Earthquake Reconstruction – Origami Crane
- Lithuania, KM-215, 20 Euro, Silver, 25th Anniversary of Restoration of Independence
- Portugal, KM-857a, 2.5 Euro, Silver, 70 Years of Peace in Europe
Best Crown
- Australia, KM-2207, 1 Dollar, Silver, High Relief Wedge-Tailed Eagle
- Belarus, KM-489, 1 Ruble, Copper-Nickel, Belarusian Ballet
- Cyprus, KM-103, 5 Euro, Silver, Goddess Aphrodite
- Falkland Islands, KM-174a, 1 Crown, Silver, 275th Anniversary of Rule Britannia
- Great Britain, KM-1298, 5 Pounds, Copper-Nickel, 50th Anniversary of the Death of Winston Churchill
- Hungary, KM-884, 10,000 Forint, Silver, 110th Anniversary of the Building of the Magyar Bank and the 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Miksa Roth
- Kyrgyzstan, KM-66, 10 Som, Silver, Kyz Kuumai
- Niue, KM-1300, 5 Dollars, Silver, Marco Polo
- Palau, KM-488, 5 Dollars, Silver, Marine Life Protection – White Damselfish
- Poland, Y-931, 50 Zlotych, Silver, Ladislas of Varna
Best Gold Coin
- Austria, KM-3246, 100 Euro, Gold, Capercaille
- Canada, KM-1877, 200 Dollars, Gold, Maple Leaf Reflection
- China, KM-2110, 100 Yuan, Gold, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva
- Cook Islands, KM-1686, 1 Dollar, Gold, 70 Years of Peace in Europe
- France, KM-2194, 50 Euro, Gold, Great Persons of French Literature – Manon Lescaut
- Lithuania, KM-218, 50 Euro, Gold, Grand Duchy of Lithuania Coinage
- Poland, Y-929, 100 Zlotych, Gold, 100th Anniversary of Regaining Polish Independence – Jozef Pilsudski
- Portugal, KM-861, 2.5 Euro, Gold, Bedspreads of Castelo Branco
- South Africa, KM-586, 2 Rand, Gold, Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve
- United States, KM-614, 10 Dollars, Gold, Jacqueline Kennedy
Most Historically Significant
- Australia, KM-2197, 5 Dollars, Silver, 100th Anniversary of the Gallipoli Landing
- Australia, KM-2204, 200 Dollars, Gold, 100th Anniversary of ANZAC Spirit Baptism of Fire
- Austria, KM-3239, 20 Euro, Silver, 450th anniversary of the Spanish Riding School
- Austria, KM-3245, 20 Euro, Silver, Mozart – Wolfgang
- Belgium, KM-347, 2.5 Euro, Brass, 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo
- Canada, KM-1860, 20 Dollars, Silver, 100th Anniversary of In Flanders Fields
- Germany, KM-343a, 10 Euro, Silver, 1000th Anniversary of the Founding of the City of Leipzig
- Kazakhstan, KM-305, 500 Tenge, Silver, 550th Anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate
- Latvia, KM-167, 5 Euro, Silver, 150th Anniversary of Firefighting in Latvia
- Spain, KM-1347, 10 Euro, Silver, 400th Anniversary of Don Quixote Part II
Most Innovative Coin
- British Virgin Islands, KM-475, 5 Dollars, Titanium, Pink Flamingo – Colorized Titanium
- Canada, KM-1872, 30 Dollars, Silver, Moonlight Fireflies – Glow-In-The-Dark Fireflies and Evening to Night Background
- Cook Islands, KM-1693, 2 Dollar, Silver, Space-Time Continuum – Black Hole Shaped Coin with Magnetic Sphere
- Cook Islands, KM-1697, 5 Dollars, Silver, Murrine Millefiori Glass Art Coin – Glass Art on Coin
- Cook Islands, KM-1698, 5 Dollars, Silver, Chondrite Meteorite – Coin Shaped as Impact Crater
- Latvia, KM-165, 5 Euro, Silver, Rainis and Aspasia – Two Interlocking L-Shaped Pieces
- Niue, KM-1296, 2 Dollars, Silver, Chromadepth – 3D Technology Allows Colors to Hover Over Coin
- Palau, KM-490, 5 Dollars, Copper, Coin as Game Board with dice and playing pieces
- Portugal, KM-860, 2.5 Euro, Silver-Gold, Road to Rio 2016 Olympics – Striking Two Different Metals with Precision
- Tuvalu, KM-269, 2 Dollars, Silver, 150th Anniversary of Alice in Wonderland – Clock in Coin
Most Inspirational Coin
- Australia, KM-2201, 30 Dollar, Silver, ANZAC Lest We Forget
- Canada, KM-1843, 50 Dollar, Gold, UNESCO Sites – Mount Fuji and the Canadian Rockies
- China, KM-2107, 10 Yuan, Silver, Love
- Finland, KM-225, 10 Euro, Silver, 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Jean Sibelius
- Hungary, KM-887, 5,000 Forint, Gold, 425th Anniversary of the Hungarian Translation of the Bible
- Japan, Y-246, 10,000 Yen, Gold, Great East Japan Earthquake Reconstruction – Cranes
- South Africa, KM-591, 25 Rand, Gold, Life of Nelson Mandela
- United States, KM-604, 1 Dollar, Silver, March of Dimes – 60th Anniversary of Salk Vaccine
- Australia, KM-2201, 30 Dollar, Silver, ANZAC Lest We Forget
- Canada, KM-1843, 50 Dollar, Gold, UNESCO Sites – Mount Fuji and the Canadian Rockies
- China, KM-2107, 10 Yuan, Silver, Love
- Finland, KM-225, 10 Euro, Silver, 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Jean Sibelius
- Hungary, KM-887, 5,000 Forint, Gold, 425th Anniversary of the Hungarian Translation of the Bible
- Japan, Y-246, 10,000 Yen, Gold, Great East Japan Earthquake Reconstruction – Cranes
- South Africa, KM-591, 25 Rand, Gold, Life of Nelson Mandela
- United States, KM-604, 1 Dollar, Silver, March of Dimes – 60th Anniversary of Salk Vaccine
Best Silver Coin
- Canada, KM-1881.1, 2 Dollar, Silver, Grey Wolf
- China, KM-2108, 20 Yuan, Silver, Tiantai Temple on Mount Jiuhua
- Denmark, KM-965, 500 Kroner, Silver, Queen Margrethe II’s 75th Birthday
- Finland, KM-226, 10 Euro, Silver, 70th Anniversary of Peace in Europe
- Germany, KM-344a, 10 Euro, Silver, 500th Anniversary of Lucas Cranach
- Israel, KM-536, 2 Sheqalim, Silver, Solar Energy in Israel
- Kazakhstan, KM-309, 500 Tenge, Silver, Heritage of Kazakhstan – Tazy
- Mongolia, KM-348, 500 Togrog, Silver, Campbell’s Hamster
- Poland, Y-926, 10 Zlotych, Silver, 100 Years of Warsaw University of Technology
- South Africa, KM-585, 1 Rand, Silver, Life of Nelson Mandela
Last year’s COTY winner was the United States Baseball Hall of Fame cupped clad half dollar as we reported one year ago.
To visit the website of Krause Publications please click here.