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 Replies: 15 / Views: 852 |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3707 Posts |
Within the last decade, the composition of coins have gone through many changes, mostly 'downgrade'. Up to the depression era, coins were struck in high value metals such as nickel, copper, silver, gold. This is pre-fiat currency where coins were back with some meaningful value. Today's coinage are now replaced with base metal alloy or plated coins such as copper-nickel or nickel plated steel. This is not unique to this era as this is seen in Roman or early Chinese cash coinage.
The biggest change in metal composition happened during WWI and WWII where metals such as copper and nickel were used for ammunition. This has created interesting base metal coinage such as lead, zinc, tin, aluminum. Some coins were struck with non-metal composition such as ceramic, cloth or even coal!
Rough timeline of when different types of metals were last used. This does not include alloys. Some countries still issue coins with high metal content but these are not common, i.e. Japan 10 yen.
Gold: mostly to depression era (1930s)
Silver: 1960s
Nickel: 1960s - 70s
Copper: 1980s
In today's world, it seems that plated steel coins are getting common for many coins around the world. Steel is a relatively hard metal compared to the traditional base metals. While they would be harder to work with, these last much longer in circulation thus better cost savings. Canadian multi-ply steel is recognized as an innovative way to manage cost as well as a way to counter against counterfeits.
What type of metals would be used in coins in the future? Perhaps plastic some day?
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
7884 Posts |
Plastic standard circulation coins were issued in 2014 in Transnistria. Would be interesting to see how they hold up. Not sure of the mintage, but I'm guessing most of them went in to collections anyway.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1740 Posts |
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Plastic standard circulation coins were issued in 2014 in Transnistria Sounds like Transnistria is one big casino.  Plated steel is the future for coins from those countries which haven't already gone that way. 
Edited by MachinMachinMan
03/20/2025 10:21 pm
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Moderator
 Australia
16242 Posts |
I suspect circulating coins themselves will die out within 100 years, unless something seriously changes with society. And I don't see anything replacing plated-steel or simply outright stainless steel as a coinage medium within that timeframe, in terms of sheer cost-effectiveness.
Titanium would in theory make for excellent lightweight long-lasting coins, with the difficulty of course being in the actual preparing blanks and striking since titanium is tougher to work with than coinage steel. Titanium has the added advantage of being anodizable, so it's a fairly cheap and simple process to produce colorized coins where the colour isn't simply painted or printed on. Titanium is also generally rarer and more expensive than steel or copper at the moment, though mining for titanium on asteroids or the Moon might make it more abundant, relatively. All of which makes titanium the best "next generation coinage metal", assuming coins survive long enough to outlast the present disadvantages.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Moderator
United States
160786 Posts |
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I suspect circulating coins themselves will die out within 100 years More like 10~20.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17836 Posts |
Plastic circulating coins were first used on Keeling Cocos Island in 1913. Mintages were low, and the coins bore serial numbers.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1755 Posts |
Coins and bills will be replaced by central bank digital currency courtesy of the new world order, the WMF and Klaus Schwab.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7041 Posts |
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What type of metals would be used in coins in the future? Perhaps plastic some day? Metals without their nuclei 
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Moderator
United States
160786 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
100 Posts |
Quote:Quote:
I suspect circulating coins themselves will die out within 100 years More like 10~20. Perhaps due to the relative value of current coinage, but physical money will persist for a long time to come. The US is still making billions of one cent coins every year (for reasons nobody really understands) -- we're certainly not going to eliminate all circulating coinage in the next couple decades. Since coins last much longer than notes, there's no reason we couldn't revise circulating coinage in the future to replace today's higher value notes, even if only for cost savings of the issuing authorities. And given technological advancements, perhaps coins for large denominations could be made to contain electronics that add security & anti-counterfeiting -- something easier to employ in a coin than a note, I would think -- and it's actually paper money that will cease to exist in a few generations. To more directly address the OP: I'm not sure whether the type of metal (as we think of coins now) will be a relevant factor in the future.
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Moderator
United States
160786 Posts |
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we're certainly not going to eliminate all circulating coinage in the next couple decades. My ten to twenty year estimate is a bold prediction, to be sure. It is one the odds may not favour, but one I am willing to put out there.  Quote:
...there's no reason we couldn't revise circulating coinage in the future to replace today's higher value notes, even if only for cost savings of the issuing authorities... it's actually paper money that will cease to exist in a few generations. I would not fight this.
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Valued Member
United States
100 Posts |
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My ten to twenty year estimate is a bold prediction, to be sure. It is one the odds may not favour, but one I am willing to put out there. Indeed, if I could predict the future, I would be rich from stock buying. (And swimming in a money bin full of gold coins!) I also imagine it's hard for many of us here to be unbiased when it comes to the subject of circulating coins  I don't follow modern coinage much, but it seems like the US is behind many other countries when it comes to both coins & notes. I wonder if future changes here will be innovative or imitative?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7041 Posts |
The history of metals usage in "western" coinage over the last 2,500 years is a pretty complicated story, affected by all kinds of different supply and demand factors. And "base metals" (which is where copper is usually placed) have played a role almost from the beginning.
I suppose scholars of those trends and forces are in a better position to handicap the most likely future option.
I'm not sure we'll see plastic used on any kind of scale. Converting from metal to plastic means a complete retooling of all the forming equipment, which would be costly. Of course that wouldn't stop the plastics industry from lobbying for it. Or stupid and greedy politicians from enabling it at taxpayer expense.
Edited by tdziemia
04/16/2025 07:28 am
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Moderator
United States
160786 Posts |
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Indeed, if I could predict the future, I would be rich from stock buying. (And swimming in a money bin full of gold coins!) You and me both!  Quote:
I also imagine it's hard for many of us here to be unbiased when it comes to the subject of circulating coins True. My answer was different six years ago, when I was still spending cash and collecting coins from my change. Now, I seldom use cash and buy Uncirculated Mint Sets to fill my album holes.  Quote:
I don't follow modern coinage much, but it seems like the US is behind many other countries when it comes to both coins & notes. I wonder if future changes here will be innovative or imitative? It should be a blending of both. But, knowing us, it will be the latter while we boldly proclaim it is the former. 
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Moderator
United States
160786 Posts |
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I'm not sure we'll see plastic used on any kind of scale. Converting from metal to plastic means a complete retooling of all the forming equipment, which would be costly. Of course that wouldn't stop the plastics industry from lobbying for it. Or stupid and greedy politicians from enabling it at taxpayer expense. 
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4374 Posts |
Just a note on higher denomination dollar coins. I think once you get above $1, you are multiplying the incentive for counterfeiting. That in turn requires more expensive countermeasures like the bimetal Euro 1€ and 2€ coins.
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Replies: 15 / Views: 852 |
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Posted 03/20/2025 10:20 pm
