Coin Designs

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30977, 5 February 1966, Page 14

Coin Designs

Sir,—Whoever managed to have our coin designs published before they could advance any further towards minting is a loyal New Zealander indeed. They are crude, inaccurate pictures of poor standard and out-dated style. As an art teacher I often have occasion to discuss examples of good and bad design with my pupils and others. While not many New Zealanders are design-con-scious, it is gratifying to know that they can all recognise rubbish if it is bad enough. The subject matter is so juvenile it is hard to believe their publication is not just a national hoax. Criticism is also directed at their lack of elegance and simplicity, which are so striking in overseas designs. I hope that consideration will be given to redesigning most of the coins, and that the graceful, flowing composition of the Australian

set be used as a guiding standard. —Yours, etc.,

M. J. MACDONALD. February 3, 1966.

Sir, —Are the designers laughing up their sleeves and taking the public for a ride? Before anything worse happens, scrap the lot and start again. I shudder to think what the notes will be like. Surely our beautiful flowerseries stamps are a guide to the standard we are accustomed to. We have to live with these coins, probably for a very long time, so let’s have the best that can be produced. It looks as though the designs had rot been open to competition why not?— Yours, etc., NUMIS. February 2, 1966.

Sir,—The new designs are disgusting, to say the least. We have lovely stamps—we have had the stamp of the year—and we have very good designs on present coins. Why go to all the expense of new designs, when the old ones can be adapted to suit? It is going to cost the country enough as it is to change to decimal currency as it is. What was good enough for my parents and their parents are good enough for me. Are we not proud of our native birds, and of our Maori people, that we have to put Rugby players, musterers and uninteresting scenery on our coins? Being a country resident, 1 have played Rugby, seen musterers, and as an amateur artist have painted many landscapes, but I hardly think these things suit designs on coins.—Yours, etc., J. H. E. SMITH. Ashburton, Feb. 3, 1966.