Excellence in Currency Recognised at The Coin Conference 2026

The Coin Conference 2026 took place 28-30 September in Budapest, Hungary. The event played host to the International Association of Currency Affairs (IACA)’s 2026 Excellence in Currency Coin Awards. IACA introduced the awards to promote and recognise excellence in coin production, processing, management, distribution, and related activities of the coin community.

All finalists were awarded and the winner in each category announced during a special ceremony held on the Tuesday afternoon. This year’s award winners were chosen from a shortlist of finalists, which were then reviewed and scored by the IACA Judging Committee.

Best New Circulating Commemorative Coin

The Royal Australian Mint received the Best New Circulating Commemorative Coin award for its ‘80 Years On: Remembering the Second World War’ $2 coloured circulating commemorative. The coin marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and pays tribute to the almost one million Australians who served during the conflict and the approximately 40,000 Australians who lost their lives.

At the centre of the coin’s reverse design is a remembrance wreath featuring eight coloured red poppies, each representing one of the eight decades that have passed since the war’s conclusion in 1945.

In terms of production, applying colour to circulating coinage presents a unique challenge due to the wear and abrasion associated with everyday use. To address this, RAM developed an innovative design methodology in which raised relief elements are strategically engineered to protect the printed areas on the zero field from wear and abrasion.

Finalists in this category included the Banco de México for the four circulating 20 peso coins released to celebrate the country’s role as co-host of the recent 2026 FIFA World Cup, Monnaie de Paris for the €2 coin issued to mark the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris, South African Reserve Bank and South African Mint for the new R2 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Youth Uprising, and China Banknote Printing & Minting Corporation (CBPM) for its Peking Opera series.

Best New Coin Product, Process, or Manufacturing Innovation

Monnaie de Paris was awarded Best New Coin Product, Process, or Manufacturing Innovation for the new tri-metallic 500 CFA franc circulating coins created for the BEAC (Bank of Central African States)’s new series.

The unique features and process developed to produce the coins includes the size of the components, which have been designed in a very narrow intermediate ring and are coined in one step and together in one operation developed in-house. The coin has a very wide centre piece, which differs when from other former existing (very few) tri-metallic circulation coins.

The electromagnetic signal resulting from the specific combination of the three alloy components has been specifically designed to operate as hidden security features but easily read by sorting, counting or vending machines. This provides an anti-counterfeiting measure, particularly as the 500 CFA franc coin is the highest denomination in the new coin series.

The design and technology enabled Monnaie de Paris for the first time to produce the coin at a high speed of almost 600 rpm, with tens of millions of the new 500 CFA franc coins minted.

Finalists in this category included CBPM for its graphite-like coating (GLC) technology in coin dies, and the United States Mint for the implementation of precision laser technology to engrave tooling.

Best New Coin Recirculation/Distribution Program or Initiative

UK Changebox Ltd received the Best New Coin Recirculation/Distribution Initiative or Innovation Award for Changebox, its next-generation network of self-service cash and coin exchange kiosks for coin recirculation.

The kiosks collect dormant domestic coins, foreign currency and eligible withdrawn cash, then routes that value back into use. Through accessible retail and community collection points, users deposit coins or banknotes and receive equivalent value, such as higher-denomination local cash. This can help central banks and mints recover dormant coins, reduce production pressure and improve denomination availability.

Collected coins are identified, sorted and routed for recirculation or redemption. Fit domestic coins can re-enter circulation through cash-handling partners, while redeemable foreign, obsolete or withdrawn coins can be consolidated and repatriated to the relevant countries.

The kiosk recognises mixed coins and banknotes from 160+ currencies, calculates value and dispenses the agreed local amount, converting household currency into sorted, auditable volumes for processors, central banks, mints and partners. It combines coin and banknote deposits, coin-to-note exchange, foreign exchange and outmoded-currency recovery, while helping retailers rebalance coin flows as traditional cash services decline.

Finalists in this category included Monnaie de Paris for its bio-based plastic innovation for coin packing and distribution, and Global Coin Solutions for its foreign currency fundraising initiative.