Royal Canadian Mint and Central Bank of Barbados Win the International Association of Currency Affairs’ 2022 Excellence in Currency Award in the Best New Commemorative or Test Circulating Coin Category

Ottawa, Ontario, October 19, 2022 — The Royal Canadian Mint is delighted to be recognized alongside the Central Bank of Barbados for the Barbados $1 Glow-in-the-Dark Flying Fish circulation coin, which was crowned Best New Commemorative or Test Circulating Coin under the International Association of Currency Affairs’ (IACA) 2022  Excellence in Currency Awards.  Issued in honour of Bajan front-line workers who helped the nation overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, this pad-printed colour circulation coin was enhanced with the Mint’s proprietary photo-luminescent technology.  This application symbolized the light of hope breaking through the shadow of adversity.  The IACA award, for the first-ever application of glow-in-the-dark colour on a non-Canadian coin, was officially presented today at the 2022 Coin Conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands.   

“The Royal Canadian Mint is dedicated to advancing the art and science of coin manufacturing, not just for Canada and Canadians, but also for the benefit of the global currency industry,” said Marie Lemay, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “This recognition by IACA is an important endorsement of our innovation strategy and of our strategic collaborations with key international customers like the Central Bank of Barbados, which show that our technological advances can make a difference for circulation coin users around the world.”

This limited-edition circulation coin was launched virtually on November 28, 2020.  The coin highlights Barbados’ iconic one-dollar circulation coin’s “Flying Fish” design with the Mint’s  glow-in-the-dark painted technology.  In addition to entering general circulation, the coins were also made available in special commemorative credit card-style packaging.

The Excellence in Currency Awards were introduced by IACA in 2007 to promote and recognise excellence in currency issue, production, processing, management and distribution. The Mint is proud to have been recognized through several previous awards:

• the Best Currency Initiative Implemented in Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic (Other Organization) special award for the Recognition Medal honouring Canada’s front-line workers and community difference makers (2021);
• our tri-metal token technology, under the Best new coin product, feature or distribution innovation category (2019)
• our Canada 150 commemorative circulation coin program in the Best New Communications Program category (2017)
• joint recognition with the Reserve Bank of New Zealand for New Zealand’s 50-cent Anzac 100^th anniversary coloured circulation coin, in the Best New Commemorative or Test Circulating Coin category (2015);
• our multi-ply plated steel $1 and $2 circulation coins with advanced security features, introduced in 2012, in the Best New Coin Innovation category (2013);
• our Vancouver 2010 Winter Games commemorative circulation coin program in the Best New Coins Series category (2011); and
• our 2006 25-cent Pink Ribbon circulation coin in the Best New Coin category (2007).

Video and still photography on this project can be found here.

About the Royal Canadian Mint

The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada’s circulation coins. The Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca.  Follow the Mint on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About IACA

Working hand in hand with the public and private sector, IACA’s goal is to provide an international exchange for consultation and collaboration on matters of interest to stakeholders in the cash payments cycle and to give back to the industry through the benefits provided from our various project work, programs and information resources. Member companies include all stakeholders in the cash payments cycle, including: central banks; currency issuing authorities; ministries of finance; state and commerical printworks; state and commercial mints; cash management companies; currency industry suppliers and cash handling suppliers.

For more information, please contact:

Alex Reeves
Senior Manager, Public Affairs
(613) 884-6370
reeves@mint.ca