| The results of the 2nd International competition “Coin Constellation-2008” organized by the Watermark Publishing House are announced |
The distribution of awards of the 2nd International competition “Coin Constellation-2008” (organized by the Watermark Publishing House) took place on June 26 in “Park Inn Pribaltiyskaia” hotel.
The winners are:
In the Unique Idea Solution category – “Pure water is the source of life” coin (Ukraine);
In the Successful Artistic Solution category – “Coin of life” (Latvia);
In the Original Technology category – “Artists of the world: Vincent Van Gogh” (Poland);
In the Silver Coin of the Year category – “Legend of the Stork” (Belarus);
In the Gold Coin of the Year – “Andrey Rublev” coin with the face-value of 10 000 rubles (Russia);
In the Coin of the Year category - “The Cross of Ephrosinia of Polotsk” (Belarus).
The “90 years of Finland” coin series (Finland) received the Special Prize of the Organizational Committee.
The award “For the development of the precious coin market” was given to Alexander Baklanov, Head Artist of the Design Center of Goznak, People’s Artist of Russia.
Based on the results of the voting at www.coinconference.com, in which 1439 people took part, the People’s Choice Award was given to “The Cross of Ephrosinia of Polotsk” coin.
Commemorative coins issued since January 1 until December 31, 2007 could take part in the Competition. To compare with “Coin Constellation-2007” (its results were announced in June 2007 in Suzdal), the geography of the Competition was dramatically enlarged. This year the Mints of Denmark, Spain, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia and Finland; the National Banks of Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kirgizia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Trans-Dniester Republic, Ukraine; as well as companies “Coin Invest Trust” (Liechtenstein) and “Resource Agrotrade” (Russia) submitted their coins for the Competition. Totally 80 coins took part in “Coin Constellation-2008” (last year, 47 commemorative and jubilee coins took part in the Competition). The panel of judges was also increased this year: it consisted of representatives of the State Hermitage (Russia), the State History Museum (Russia), the British Museum (Great Britain), Vienna's Museum of Art History (Austria), the National Arts Museum named after Churlenis (Lithuania), the Daugavpils Museum of Regional Studies and Art (Latvia);
specialists from Armenia, Belarus, Germany, Italy, the Trans-Dniester Republic, France; employees of commercial banks and representatives of Mass Media.
The announcement of results of the Competition and the distribution of awards took place within the framework of the 1st European Commemorative Coin Conference “COINS-2008” held on June 25-26 in Saint-Petersburg. The Organizer of the Conference “COINS-2008” was the Watermark Publishing House. The co-organizer was Eurasian Development Bank. VTB Bank was the Gold Sponsor of COINS-2008. The idea of the Conference was supported by the Bank of Russia; its representatives took part in it and made a presentation. Totally 157 delegates from 25 countries took part in the 1st Pan-European Conference COINS-2008. They represented national banks, mints, commercial banks, resellers, equipment manufacturers. Among the participants of COINS-2008 were: the Bank of Russia, VTB Bank, Eurasian Development Bank, Sberbank of Russia, the National Bank of Ukraine, the National Bank of Belarus, the Central Bank of Armenia, the National Bank of Kirgizia, the National Bank of Kazakhstan, the Saint-Petersburg and Moscow Mints – Branches of Goznak, the Mint of Finland, the Mint of Kazakhstan, the Mint of Austria, the Mint of Poland, the Royal Spanish Mint, the Royal Dutch Mint, the Mint of New Zealand and others. The topics of the working sessions, of COINS-2008 were:
- The major tendencies of the coin design, the choice of themes for the commemorative coins;
- The commemorative coin market: demand and supply;
- The modern technologies of the coin production.
