Coins and Australia - 50 cents 2004 and 2005 - Student designs - Articles on Australian coins

Competition specifications, Royal Australian Mint, May 6, 2003

Series specification

• The series will comprise individual commemorative coins, released progressively on an annual or bi-annual basis starting from 2004. The number of years that this series will last has not yet been decided but one of the factors that will be considered in deciding how long the series will last is the public’s interest in this series. The designs for 2004 are to be prepared bystudents who are in primary schools during the calender year 2003, and are to represent what they consider to be special about Australia. Designs for the next issue in this series will be drawn from secondary schools and the following series from tertiary institutions. There will be one design selected for each coin per year.
• The coin is to be :
  • of 50c denomination, and legal tender; and
  • The same material and dimensions as the standard 50 cent coin (currently cupro-nickel, 31.65 mm in diameter).
• The designs will potentially be released on three types of coins, at the Mint’s sole discretion:
  • a proof collector coin;
  • an uncirculated collector coin; and
  • a coin that will go into general circulation
  The proof coins will be issued in limited numbers, but there will be no predetermined limit on the numbers of uncirculated or circulating coins to be produced, if they are in fact produced.

Scope of competition

• The selected designs will be used on one side (the Reverse) of Australia’s 50c coin. The other (Obverse) side of our coins bears the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, and is not the subject of this competition.
• Designs are to take account of the size of the coin on which they will eventually be produced. The designs must be submitted in black and white only, on A4 size paper in accordance with the attached template. Please note that coloured designs will not be accepted.
• Designs must be drawn by hand. Designs generated by computer will not be accepted.
• Designs must incorporate figures ‘50’ to indicate the denomination of the coin, 50c.
• Designs may be accompanied by written descriptions, not to exceed 100 words per design. To facilitate impartial assessment, neither the design drawings nor any accompanying descriptions should be signed or otherwise attributed on the design side. However, on the back of the paper used to draw the design should be shown the designer’s full name, school, school address, school phone and fax numbers. All entries will be coded on receipt, in such as way as to ensure the identity of the originator is recorded but not revealed to the judges until after the relevant stage of the selection process (see below).
• Ownership and copyright in a design lodged as an entry to this competition will pass to the Commonwealth on its selection. The parents or guardians of the students whose designs are selected will be required to sign agreements giving ownership of intellectual property rights in the designs to the Commonwealth.
• Entries will not be returned. Clear copies will be accepted as initial entries, in the event that entrants wish to retain the originals of their designs until after the selection process.

Selection process

• Stage 1
  The first stage of the selection process takes place in each school, and detailed arrangements are at the discretion of the school.The aim is for the schools to select a maximum of three entries from each school, for submission to the Royal Australian Mint.
• Stage 2
  The second stage involves selection by a panel appointed by and including the Controller of the Mint, technical and marketing staff from the Mint as well as selected members of the public, of a final set of 5 designs.
• Stage 3
  The third and final stage involves selection by the Minister responsible for the Mint, of one of the five designs chosen at stage two, above, assisted on technical matters by a representative of the Royal Australian Mint. The Minister will select one design to be featured on the coin for the respective year.
• Finalisation
  Detail adjustments to a shortlisted design may be requested by the selection panel. Adjustments for technical reasons will be at the sole discretion of the Mint, but the winning designer will be notified where a significant adjustment is needed.

Selection criteria

The criteria for selection will focus on:

• artistic merit
• commemorative appropriateness, and
• suitability for minting.

The organisers reserve the right not to make a selection and the Mint reserves the right not to proceed to production with a winning entry, should circumstances require such a decision.

No correspondence will be entered into regarding the final design selected or reasons for nonselection of any designs submitted.

Eligibility

• Designs submitted by the primary schools must be from students in those primary schools only.
• Designs must have been done by the students themselves without adult assistance in drawing the designs.
• By entering the competition, designers, schools, parents and guardians are accepting the rules of the competition and no correspondence will be entered into.

Timing

• Entries must be received by the Royal Australian Mint by 5pm on Friday 15 August 2003.
• The three designs chosen by each school should be sent by Registered Mail.
• The Mint will not be able to acknowledge receipt of designs from any particular school.

Awards

The prize for the winning entry will be $10,000 donated to the school where the successful entrant is a pupil at the time of the design being completed. Where a student is undergoing Home Tuition and does not attend a registered primary school, the prize money will be awarded to the Department of Education in the State or Territory in which that student lives at the time of submitting the entry and based on the State or Territory address shown on the design entry.

The winning designer will also be acknowledged by having his/her initials on the coins; and in publicity associated with the release of the coins.

The winners will be announced on Friday 7 November 2003.