Coins in an Era Without Cash - A Store of Value Without Paralell

Take a look at the online catalogue of any of the world's largest mints, and you'll see an array of products that would have bamboozled and shocked the average collector who was active just half a century ago.

The diverse array of products available to collectors today is clear evidence that the market for numismatic coins has changed fundamentally. More than that, what is considered to be a coin has changed fundamentally. 

Coins - No Longer Just Flat Discs

No longer is the definition of a coin limited to "A flat disc or piece of metal with an official stamp, used as money." 

In 2026, coins are made flat and not; they are struck on discs or not; they are manufactured in metal or not, and are used as money and not. With this diversity as evidence, just what the definition of a coin is in 2026 seems to be open to interpretation. A coin could now be extended to being: "An officially denominated object issued by a sovereign mint."

This evolution was initially driven by a decline in demand for circulating coinage, resulting from the convenience of electronic payments. Faced with declining revenues of seigniorage, sovereign mints have been driven to adopt commercial business practices to find new ways of meeting the latent needs of collectors. Mints are not waiting for permission or acceptance from traditional numismatic collectors before they innovate; they are pushing through established boundaries in the hope of forging new markets entirely.

Coins - Objects to Marvel At and Keep As A Store of Value

Production statistics from mints around the world clearly demonstrate that many people no longer want coins they can spend, but they do want coins they can marvel at and keep as a store of value.

Coins that bear a close resemblance to those seen in circulation are unexceptional and don't provide sufficient appeal to many collectors active in the 21st century, while coins that command attention for their aesthetic appeal or technical innovation are proving to be highly valued.

Collectors are gravitating toward coins with thematic, design, manufacturing and presentation innovations that resonate with the values and motivations that drive their acquisitions. Many of the newer coins available in the 21st century appeal to collectors simply looking for novelty coins that are fun to enjoy and own.

Other collectors gravitate toward coins with a shock factor and incredible technical expertise required to produce them, while a very small number of coins are aimed at those looking for something more than a sterile and inanimate store of value. 

Coins that respect this desire for exclusivity beyond existing boundaries throughout the entire process from concept through design, manufacturing and distribution to ownership, are acknowledged by buyers as being more valuable than any coins that have ever been made solely for the collector market before.

These unprecedented innovations will be seen by generations to come as harbingers of a new era in money, one where coins are seen less as cash and more as a store of value without parallel.