How far can coin design go before the object is no longer considered a coin? Sometimes it seems like you can slap a denomination and a picture of the Queen onto anything and suddenly its a collector coin. We've seen the recent rotating coin, the Space-Time Continuum coin that balances on a ball bearing, a clock coin, nano chip coins, coins with embedded bullets, tubular coins, spheres, coins with spokes, jigsaw coins, coins with little compartments containing other stuff, coins with a built in thermometer, etc. For example: Source: http://i.imgur.com/md9kRlO.jpg What next? A working orrery coin would be kindof cool: Or maybe take it too the next level and create a silver proof mechanical computer like Babbage's Difference Engine:
I agree. Some of the designs left what "coins" are to me a long long time ago. Although I do find myself appreciating what they are doing, they're not coins to me.
Who knows... as long as people are buying them and the mints can make a profit they will keep trying to find new ways to produce a "coin" however I would be concerned that someday with all these so called high premium "coins" that people buying some of these could be stuck with for example a 7 oz ball of silver worth 7 X spot. At some point the market will get saturated if it isn't already.
3-Dimensional coins: http://blog.slcollectors.com/1-doll...s-geometrics-cone-pyramid-ball-cylinder-cube/ .
Clear, dimensional, laser-etched coin...... http://www.numiscollect.eu/index.php?task=product&p_id=7800&prev_id=&c_id=678 .
Hey hey, those ancient folks started it. We modern people perfected it. Google "Yap stone coins". We have our kilo coins but these guys beat us long time ago!
