Coin of the Year: Surprising Picks and Standout Themes from the Oscars of Numismatics

The 2025 Coin of the Year (COTY) selection process kicked off in January with nearly 550 nominations submitted by mints, central banks, and collectors from around the world – narrowed down from roughly 7,000 coins issued in 2024. A committee shortlisted 100 coins from 38 countries, representing over 35 institutions. These finalists compete in ten distinct categories. A panel of more than 100 international judges is now selecting one winner per category. In a second voting round, the same panel will choose the overall Coin of the Year from those ten winners. The awards will be presented at the World’s Fair of Money, held by the American Numismatic Association in Oklahoma City from August 19 to 23, 2025.

Which Countries Are Leading the Field?

A look at the list of nominees clearly shows that western industrialized nations and select small states with active collector coin programs are setting the tone. Canada, Austria, and China each received six nominations, while France leads the pack with seven. Germany, Greece, and Italy secured four nominations apiece.

Within the Eurozone, Lithuania is represented with three nominations; Belgium and Latvia with two each. Estonia, Malta, Finland, the Netherlands, Croatia, and the Vatican are each nominated once. Notably, seven of the nominated coins are commemorative €2 pieces – highlighting the increasing artistic and thematic diversity within this popular denomination.

Also striking is the strong presence of microstates such as Niue, the Cook Islands, and Cameroon. These countries have carved out a firm place in the numismatic market thanks to their partnerships with international distributors and private mints, which help bring their coins to a global audience.

Top Themes: From Kant to Artificial Intelligence

Historical anniversaries and notable figures once again dominate the Coin of the Year competition. The 300th birthday of philosopher Immanuel Kant (Germany) and a tribute to Harriet Tubman (USA) exemplify the ongoing effort to capture cultural heritage in coinage. At the same time, contemporary topics are gaining ground: artificial intelligence (Lithuania), medical workers portrayed as superheroes (Ukraine), and the fight against cancer (Belgium) are just a few examples of how modern concerns are entering the numismatic vocabulary. Environmental and scientific subjects are also on the rise, as seen in China’s coin celebrating a polar expedition and Austria’s microscopic depiction of soil life (“Edaphon”) – highlighting a growing trend toward thematic diversification.

Pop culture and sports are becoming increasingly influential, too. Coins honoring Paul McCartney, the Ducati 916 motorcycle, or para-athletes underscore the expanding overlap between popular culture and coin design.

Most Unusual Designs: Floppy Disks, Cabbages, and Heart-Shaped Coins

When it comes to creativity, Niue once again stands out. A coin shaped like a floppy disk from the 1990s pushes the boundaries of conventional design. Other unconventional pieces include a tribute to the Rubik’s Cube and a heart-shaped coin with a holographic effect – demonstrating how far modern minting has evolved in separating form from function and reimagining what a coin can be.

Latvia also makes a unique contribution with its “Cabbage” coin – an abstract silver €5 piece shaped like a stylized brassica, which cleverly brings rural folk themes into the numismatic spotlight.

Heart shapes appear in several designs this year: on a Chinese bimetallic coin celebrating “Auspicious Culture,” and in Ukraine, symbolizing parental love and medical care.

All 100 Nominees at a Glance

The following are the COTY 100 – an exclusive shortlist of coins dated 2024, selected from nearly 7,000 global releases. These coins represent outstanding achievement in design, theme, innovation, and craftsmanship across 38 countries. Grouped by category, they reflect the diversity and creativity of modern numismatics:

Most Historically Significant Coins

1. Austria – KM-3377, 20 Euro, Silver, Salt Mining
2. Cameroon – KM-772, 2,000 Francs CFA, Silver, Indus Valley
3. Canada – KM-3451, 20 Dollars, Silver, Amber Valley Settlers
4. China – KM-2849, 10 Yuan, Silver, Millennium of China’s Paper Currency
5. Germany – KM-447, 20 Euro, Silver, 300th Birthday of Immanuel Kant
6. Greece – KM-389, 6 Euro, Silver, Universal Postal Union
7. Italy – KM-555, 5 Euro Silver, Guglielmo Marconi and First Italian Radio Broadcast
8. Netherlands – KM-443a, 5 Euro, Silver, 750 Years Amsterdam
9. Norway – KM-499, 20 Kroner, Nickel Brass, Magnus National Law Code
10. United States – KM-800, 1 Dollar, Silver, Harriet Tubman

Best Contemporary Event Coin

1. Austria – KM-3380, 50 Euro, Gold, Writer Veza Canetti
2. Belgium – KM-449, 10 Euros, Silver, 75 Years of NATO
3. Canada – KM-3427, 1 Dollar, Silver, 1939 Royal Visit to Canada
4. France – KM-3453, 10 Euro, Silver, Notre-Dame Restoration
5. Greece – KM-398, 10 Euro, Silver, Martyred Villages and Towns of Greece
6. Hungary – KM-1105, 15,000 Forints, Silver, Sára Salkaházi
7. Italy – KM-537, 5 Euro, Silver, Ducati-916
8. Portugal – KM-953, 2 Euro, Bi-metallic, 50th Year Anniversary of April 25th
9. United Kingdom – KM-2832, 2 Pounds, Silver, D-Day
10. United States of America – KM-801, 1 Dollar, Silver, Greatest Generation

Best Gold Coin

1. Austria – KM-3386, 100 Euro, Gold, The Gold of China
2. Canada – KM-3473, 350 Dollars, Gold, Year of the Dragon
3. China – KM-2865, 1500 Yuan, Gold, Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple
4. Cook Islands – KM-3484, 500 Dollars, Gold, Astronaut
5. Hungary – KM-1111, 100,000 Forints, Gold, Saint Kinga of Hungary
6. Kazakhstan – KM-611, 100 Tenge, Gold, ÚKI (The Owl)
7. Liechtenstein – KM-36, 100 Swiss France, Gold, Liechtenstein 100 Years
8. South Africa – KM-794, 50 Rand, Gold, The Elephant
9. United States of America – KM-804, 100 Dollars, Gold, Liberty and Britannia
10. Vatican – KM-601, 50 Euro, Gold, War & Peace

Best Silver Coin

1. Cameroon – KM-706, 2,000 France CFA, Silver, Ragnar Lothbrok
2. China – KM-2850, 10 Yuan, Silver, China’s Polar Scientific Expedition
3. France – KM-3435, 10 Euro, Silver, Handover Paris to LA
4. Greece – KM-386, 5 Euro, Silver, 200 Years The Battle of Samos
5. Italy – KM-553, 3 Euro, Silver, Italian Presidency of the G7
6. Latvia – KM-237, 5 Euro, Silver, Cabbage
7. New Zealand – KM-528, 1 Dollar, Silver, Te ao Mãori (the Mãori world)
8. Spain – KM-1587, 10 Euro, Silver, 10th Anniversary of the Promclamation of H.M. King Philip VI
9. Ukraine – KM-1104, 10 Hryvnias, Silver, Love
10. United Kingdom – KM-2621.a1, 2 Pounds, Silver, Britannia and Liberty

Best Crown Coin

1. Cameroon – KM-666a, 2,000 Francs CFA, Fine Silver, Durga 2024
2. Canada – KM-3447, 20 Dollars, Silver, Grizzly Bear
3. France – KM-3459, 20 Euro, Silver, Lady Liberty & The Sower
4. Greece – KM-390, 10 Euro, Silver, Archimedes’ Screw
5. Lithuania – KM-290, 20 Euro, Silver, XXXIII Olympic Games in Paris and Centenary of the Lithuanian Olympic Movement
6. Malta – KM-270, 10 Euro, Silver, ruthenium plating, yellow gold, 2024 Maltese Bee
7. Mongolia – KM-460, 500 Togrog, Silver, Snow Leopard
8. Niue – KM-7485, 1 Dollar, Silver, Legend of Chu Liuxiang-Li Hong Xiu
9. South Africa – KM-793, 5 Rand, Fine Silver, The Elephant
10. United Kingdom – KM-2834.1, 2 Pounds, Silver, Paul McCartney

Best Circulating Coin

1. Australia – KM-4851, 2 Dollars, Aluminium Bronze, War Animals
2. Brazil – KM-652a, 1 Real, Bimetallic stainless steel and bronze plated steel, 30 Years of the 1 Real
3. Canada – KM-3484, 3484.1, 1 Dollar, Multi-ply brass plated steel and selective color, L.M. Montgomery
4. China – KM-2900, 10 Yuan, Bi-metal brass and cupronickel, Chinese New Year of the Loong
5. France – KM-3325, 50 Cent, Nordic Gold, Marie Curie
6. Germany – KM-445, 10 Euro, Metal Core and CuNi Polymer, Police
7. Hungary – KM-1080, 200 Forints, Base Metal, Lajos Batthyány
8. United Kingdom – KM-2620a.1, 50 Pence, Silver, 200 Years of RNLI
9. United States of America – KM-791, Quarter Dollar, Copper Nickel, Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray
10. Zimbabwe – KM-26, 5 Zig, Nickel steel plated, Victoria Falls

Best Bi-Metallic Coin

1. Australia – KM-4806, 150 Dollars, Gold and Platinum, Australian Wedge-Tailed Eagle
2. Austria – KM-3379, 25 Euro, Silver-Niobium, Edaphon
3. Canada – KM-3529, 3529.1, 2 Dollars, Nickel-plated Steel, Brass-plated Aluminum Bronze, Selective Color, Inuit Nunangat
4. China – KM-2862, 10 Yuan, Brass and Cupronickel, Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park
5. Estonia – KM-111, 2 Euro, Bi-Metallic, Cornflower
6. France – KM-3344.1, 2 Euro, Common Metal, The Eiffel Tower
7. Germany – KM-439, 2 Euro, Bimetal, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
8. Hungary – KM-1079, 100 Forints, Base Metal, 100 Years of the Magyar Nemzeti Bank
9. Italy – KM-524, 2 Euro, Bi-Metal, Financial Police 250 Years
10. Kazakhstan – KM-612, 1,000 Tenge, Silver+Copper, Cu (Copper)

Most Artistic Coin

1. Austria – KM-3378, 20 Euro, Silver, Supernova
2. Cameroon – KM-770, 2000 Francs CFA, Fine Silver, Aphrodite
3. Cook Islands – KM-3606, 20 Dollars, Silver, Girl with a Pearl Earring
4. Cook Islands – KM-3473, 10 Dollars, Silver, Reconstruction
5. Croatia – KM-169,6 Euro, Silver, Gold, Antique Finish, Trsat Dragon
6. Latvia – KM-235, 5 Euro, Silver with gilding, “Energy Coin”
7. Lithuania – KM-289, 5 Euro, Silver, “The Twelve Brothers, Twelve Black Ravens”
8. Niue – KM-7486, 1 Dollar, Silver, Legend of Chu Liuxiang’ -Su Rong Rong
9. Poland – KM-1199, 10 Zloty, Silver, Warsaw Pawiak Prison
10. Ukraine – KM-1112, 10 Hryvnias, Silver, Pliontanism (Ivan Marchuk)

Most Innovative Coin

1. Barbados – KM-473, 5 Dollars, Silver and Base Metal, El Dorado
2. Cameroon – KM-693, 1766 CFA Francs, Silver, UFO MP-1766
3. Cook Islands – KM-3486, 5 Dollars, Silver, Cowboy Hat
4. France – KM-3642, 25 Euro, Silver, Notre-Dame Microchip
5. Ghana – KM-267, 10 Cedis, Silver, Earth
6. Lithuania – KM-292, 20 Euro, Silver, Artificial Intelligence
7. New Zealand – KM-529, 1 Dollar, Silver, Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve
8. Niue – KM-7367, 2 Dollars, Silver, Homage to the Rubik’s Cube
9. Niue – KM-6832.1, 2 Dollars, Silver, Technological Devices that shaped our Lives
10. Samoa – KM-878, 5 Dollars, Silver, Sun and Moon

Most Inspirational Coin

1. Austria – KM-3376.1, 10 Euro, Silver, The Peony
2. Belgium – KM-446, 2 Euros, CuNi/CuZnNi, Fight Against Cancer in Belgium
3. China – KM-2854, 80 Yuan, Bi-metal, Auspicious Culture
4. Finland – KM-314, 2 Euro, Bi-Metallic, Elections
5. France – KM-3379, 10 Euro, Silver, Para-Athletics
6. Germany – KM-449, 20 Euro, Sterling Silver and Color, 125th Birthday of Erich Kästner
7. Niue – KM-7484, 1 Dollar, Silver, The Future Coin Through a Child’s Eyes
8. Poland – KM-1193, 50 Zloty, Silver, In Memory of the Ulma Family
9. Ukraine – KM-1098, 5 Hryvnias, Silver, Parental Happiness
10. Ukraine – KM-1108, 5 Hryvnias, Nickel Silver, Country of Superheroes-Medical Workers