Students Get Chance to Make Olympic History in Royal Mint Competition

Secondary school students are being given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make their mark on the nation's coins and be part of the London 2012 Olympic Games & Paralympic Games, thanks to a prestigious design competition launched by Education Minister, Sarah McCarthy-Fry and Beijing Gold Medallist Geraint Thomas.

The Royal Mint is inviting 13-19 year olds to create a lasting memento to London 2012 by designing a new-look "tails" for the 50 pence piece using Olympic or Paralympic cycling as their inspiration. The competition guarantees that a teenager will definitely design a UK circulating coin celebrating London 2012 and will enter circulation from March 2010.

The winner will receive a unique gold coin featuring their own artwork and will be invited to see his/her design being transformed into actual UK coins at the Royal Mint. The winner's school will also receive £10,000.

'I am delighted to support this competition and pleased that The Royal Mint is giving our young people the opportunity to showcase their artistic abilities and talent through the prism of London 2012,' says Sarah McCarthy-Fry, Education Minister.

This competition gives schools an opportunity to bring together various curriculum themes, such as art, design, sport and history.The winning design will appear on the back of millions of 50 pence pieces which will be found in the nation's change for years to come.

'We are proud to be involved in London 2012 and to be able to give teenagers the exciting opportunity of creating a lasting tribute to the event,' says Andrew Stafford, Chief Executive of the Royal Mint.

'This isn't just a competition for art students.While we are looking for creative flair, entrants don't need to be a budding Picasso to be in with a chance.We will be looking at the concept as much as the quality of the artwork.If someone comes up with a clever way of symbolising cycling, we can work at refining the design with the student at the Royal Mint.'

For full information on the Royal Mint Design Competition for London 2012 - for Secondary Schools, visit www.coincompetition.co.uk. Design templates are downloadable upon registration, and all entries must be submitted on the provided template and should reach the Royal Mint no later than 24 April 2009.

Some rules, hints and tips for entrants

  • Designs must be submitted on the official design template, which is downloadable upon registration at www.coincompetition.co.uk.
  • The design template includes the mandatory elements of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games logos and the value of the coin, and the inclusion and positioning of these should not be altered.
  • Entrants can submit more than one entry. To do so, photocopy the downloaded template, which will carry a unique registration code, before using it.
  • The design can be submitted in felt tip, pencil, ink or using computer drawing or design software. 3D entries, such as collage or models, are not permitted.

 

The Royal Mint launch competition for Secondary School children to design a London 2012 50 pence coin
  • Designs must not include a recognisable likeness of a living sportsman or woman.
  • Designs should clearly and recognisably be about cycling. This could be by involving the equipment or setting of the sport. Words, symbols, shapes or patterns associated with the sport could also be considered.
  • If including a wording reference to the Olympics within the design, entrants should use one of three permitted variants: 'London 2012', 'London Olympic Games' or '30th Olympiad'.
  • The Olympic Rings and Paralympic agitos should only be included as part of the logos on the template and should not be used as a separate feature of the design.
  • Most importantly, imagine how the design would look as it would appear on an actual coin.

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For media enquiries, please contact the Royal Mint Press Office on 020 7255 5478.

Notes to editors:

1. The Royal Mint is the oldest and most prestigious coin maker in the world, designing and producing the United Kingdom's coinage, special collector coins and coinage for over 60 countries. With a history dating back over 1000 years, by the late thirteenth century the organisation was based in the Tower of London, and remained there for over 500 years. In 1810 the Royal Mint moved out of the Tower to premises on London's Tower Hill. In 1967 the building of a new Mint began on its current site in Llantrisant, South Wales.

2. There were estimated to be more than 26.9 billion United Kingdom coins in circulation at 31 March 2008, with a total face value of more than £3.5 billion - all manufactured by the Royal Mint.

3. There were estimated to be 769 million 50 pence pieces in circulation at 31 March 2008.

4. The Royal Mint is an official licensee of London 2012, producing coins and medallions.