¡¡¡¡According to China Gold Coin Incorporation, Chinese
Grotto Art-Maijishan Grottoes Commemorative Gold Coin (5 oz) was awarded
Best Gold Coin of the 2006 Coin of The Year. The Voters have published
the other 9 winners.
¡¡¡¡The observe design of the 5 oz Coin features the geographic entity
and human characteristics of Maijishan, lays stress on the tactile
of gravel and heavily ¨C wooded trees through blasting treatment and
burnishing. And features the scene of Maijishan Grottoes by simplicity
artistic techniques. The reverse of the coin shows in the foreground
the portrait of the seated Buddha from cave 44, while on the back
ground the Buddha¡¯s halo from cave 127. The carving cleaves to the
original as much as possible. The coin reproduces the artistic style
of Maijishan Grottoes.
¡¡¡¡China precious metals commemorative coins had been awarded Coin
of The Year many times, Chinese Grotto Art-Maijishan Grottoes Commemorative
Gold Coin (5 oz) is worthy of the prize.
¡¡¡¡The awarded coins all produced in 2004. The other winners are United
States, Alderney, Australia, Cyprus, Greece, France, Italy, Liberia
and Poland. The result of the second round of balloting for the 2006
Coin of The year competition will be announced weeks later. From these
ten coins will be chosen the 2006 Coin of The Year.
¡¡¡¡An annual Coin of The Year (COTY) is jointly sponsored by America
Krause Publications (KP) and World Coin News (WCN). To have the intention
of recognizing the producers that contribute great inventions for
the art, usefulness and magnetism of coins. So, Coin of the year (COTY),
honored as Oscar Academy Award in Coin market.
¡¡¡¡There are 60 to 70 Members in the Judging Committee, invited by
publishing company, including mint master, sculptor, the officials
of Banks and Ministry of Finance, the coin organization representations,
numismatic book and magazine publishers and the independent Expert
Group. Coins applied to Coin of the Year are categorized into 10 categories,
Most Historically Significant Coin, Best Contemporary Event Coin,
Best Gold Coin, Best Silver Coin, Best Crown, Best Trade Coin, Most
Popular Coin, Most Artistic Coin, Most Innovative Coinage Concept
and Most Inspirational Coin. Then, COTY award is selected out of 10
categories.
¡¡¡¡Coin of the Year has started in 1982.
|
| NO. |
Prize |
Coin
&
PEF NO. |
Image |
Introduction |
| 1 |
Best
Gold
Coin |
China,
2000Yuan,
Maijishan
Grottoes,
(Y-1206) |
 |
The obverse of this coin features the scene of
Maijishan Grottoes, the title of PRC, the year date and ¡°Chinese Grotto
Art-Maijishan¡± in Chinese. The reverse of the 5oz gold coin shows
in the foreground the portrait of the seated Buddha from cave 44,
while on the background the Buddha¡¯s halo from cave 127, and the face
value. The gold coin is proof in quality, round in shape, 60mm in
diameter, 2000Yuan in face value, 99.9% in purity, and contains of
5oz of pure gold. The mintage is 288 pieces. |
| 2 |
Best
Silver
Coin |
Australia,
1 Dollar,
Kangaroo,
(KM-723) |
 |
The coin is proof in quality, 40mm in diameter,
99.9% in purity, and contains of 1oz of pure silver. The mintage is
12500 pieces. The reverse image featuring the iconic ¡¯roo¡¯ silhouetted
against the outback horizon and the orb of the sun. The contemporary
design exudes both power and grace on 2004 Silver Kangaroo Dollar
by Designer Wojciech Pietranik. |
| 3 |
Best
Popular
Coin |
France,
1-1/2 euro,
FIFA
Soccer,
(KM-1374)
|
 |
The reverse of this silver coin from France depicts
the rooster as the national symbol of the country, a feather pen as
a symbol of the signing of the FIFA constitution in Paris, and the
number 100 representing the FIFA Centennial, where the zeros in the
number have been replaced by soccer balls. The legend runs around
the inside edge of the coin and reads ¡°Centenaire de la FIFA¡± (FIFA
Centenary) and ¡°Football Mondial¡± (World Football). The obverse of
the coin shows a soccer ball and a goal net to the upper right, and
the denomination, year of issue and issuing country to the lower left.
Minted by the Monnaie de Paris, the €1.5 coin is struck in 90% silver
and features a diameter of 37 mm and a weight of 22.20 grams. The
mintage limit is 25,000 coins. |
| 4 |
Best
Crown
|
Cyprus,
1 Pound,
Triton
Trumpeting
Through A
Sea Shell,
(KM-75)
|
 |
¡°Triton Trumpeting Through a Sea shell¡± was awarded
Best Crown. The coin designed by Clara Zacharaki-Georgiu, 1 pound
in face value, issued by Central Bank of Cyprus. The major image of
the coin features Triton standing on the beach and Trumpeting Through
a Sea shell. It is a present as the celebration of Cyprus join the
European Union. The obverse of the coin features ¡°Coat of Arms of
the Republic of Cyprus¡± in three different languages. The reverse
of the coin features classical Cyprus with single style. |
| 5 |
Best
Contemporary
Event
Coin |
Alderney,
50 Pounds,
D-Day
Invasion,
(KM-40)
|
 |
Depicts HMS Belfast heavily laden with men and
equipment, leading the flotilla of warships. The poppy appears in
colour on the Silver coin only. The kilo coins are available in ¡ê50
Silver Designed by Matthew Bonaccorsi, these extremely limited edition
coins depict the Allied troops going into battle. |
| 6 |
Best
Trade
Coin |
Greece,
2 euro,
Olympic
Discus
Thrower,
(KM-209)
|
 |
The image on the coin depicts a discus thrower
as he twists before releasing his discus, a copy of a statue by 5th
century BC Greek sculptor Myron. A Roman-era bronze copy of Myron's
statue, capturing the full dynamics and pulse of discus throwing,
is housed at the British Museum in London. All two euro coins are
made of a silver-coloured outer ring of cupronickel, which is 25%
nickel by weight, and a yellowish inner part which consists of three
layers: one of pure nickel sandwiched between two layers of nickel-brass
(5% nickel). And the mintage is 50,000,000 coins. |
| 7 |
Best
Artistic
Coin |
Italy,
5 euro,
Madam
Butterfly,
£¨KM-239£© |
 |
The reserve of the silver coin features the image
of Teatro alla Scala, the title of The Republic of Italy. Up on the
coin, a bluebird is sitting in a peach tree background is a round
sun. The obverse of the coin features image of madam butterfly, background
are cherry tree and silhouette of Japanese architecture. Above the
image, encircled ¡°Madam Butterfly¡± and the image of butterfly, note
and notation. The silver coin is proof in quality, 32mm in diameter,
92.5% in purity, and a weight of 18 grams. The mintage is 30,000 coins. |
| 8 |
Best
Historically
Significant
Coin |
United
States,
1 Dollar,
125th
Anniversary
of
Edison's
Electric
Light,
(KM-362) |
 |
The composition of the silver one-dollar coins
is 90% silver and 10% copper. The coin features a diameter of 3.81
cm and a weight of 26.73 grams. The mintage limit is 500.000 coins.
The obverse of the coin by, United States Mint sculptor/engraver Donna
Weaver, features portrait of the great inventor holding an early experimental
light bulb in his laboratory. The reverse design, by United States
Mint sculptor/engraver John Mercanti, features a rendering of Edison's
first light bulb. The image is encircled above by the inscription
"125th ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIGHT BULB" and below by the inscription
"1879 2004", "United States of America", "One
Dollar" and "E Pluribus Unum". |
| 9 |
Best
Innovative
Coinage
Concept |
Liberia,
10 Dollars,
Window
Design
with
Tiffany
Glass
Inlay
(KM-611) |
 |
This stunning coin was minted by authority of the
government of Liberia, and has a legal tender value of $10.00. Minted
from two ounces of 99.9% silver, it measures 50 mm (1 15/16")
in diameter. The obverse of the coin features the national emblem
of Liberia and face value. The reverse of the coin features cathedral
pillar of the Gothic order and the dome is not in its integrity, the
year, ¡®TiffArt¡± and the important "Tiffany" window is translucent,
but not transparent, and the colors change depending on how the light
hits the window. |
| 10 |
Best
Inspirational
Coin |
Poland,
20 Zlotych,
Victims
of
Lodz
Ghetto,
(Y-498) |
 |
The obverse of the coin bears an image of the Eagle
established as the state Emblem of the Republic of Poland on the top
right-hand side. In the centre, a shadow of a praying figure against
the background of a vertical brick wall strip. On the lower right-hand
side, the notation of the year of issue, 2004, with an inscription,
20 Z? below. On the lefthand side a semicircular inscription, RZECZPOSPOLITA
[the Republic], and on the right-hand side, POLSKA [of Poland]. The
Mint's mark under the Eagle's left leg.
The reverse depicts an image of a boy with a Star of David on his
chest, holding a pot and a book, against the background of a stylised
element of a bridge linking the two parts of the Ghetto. Above the
bridge, an inscription: 1940 / 1944. Circumscription, PAMIECI OFIAR
GETTA W LODZI [in memoriam of victims of the Lodz Ghetto].
The silver coin is 32mm in diameter, 20 zlotych in face value, features
a diameter of 32 mm and a weight of 14.14 grams. The mintage limit
is 64,000 coins.
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