THE NEW COINAGE

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1933, Page 9

THE NEW COINAGE

APPEAL FOR ARTISTIC DESIGN. COMPETITION - SUGGESTED. ' • 4 ' V ;■?. ' . .. Christchurch, May 26. "In view of' the disastrous designs of our national..postage stamps, I confess that I feel some concern about the proposal to issue a New Zealand silver coinage,” said Dr. G. M. Lester, president of the Canterbury . Society of Arts. ‘‘l have read the names of- the members of the advisory committee appointed by the Government with a certain amount of apprehension, for I find on the committee no one who represents art.” Dr. Lester said that the announcement of the Government’s intention to institute a new coinage was a matter which, of course, had great interest for all who were interested in art, for the reason that those who had designed coins were among the greatest craftsmen and artists of their time. From the time ,of the Greek colonies in the Mediterranean, many years before Christ, up to the accession of Queen Victoria, one could find hardly a coin or a medal that did not possess distinct artistic merit. One of the most beautiful instances of relief work in gold was the large" gold coin of Faustina the Younger, coined in Rome about .2000 years ago. All through the Renaissance period, there was hardly any Pope or prince whose portrait did not appear to-day, on one of the medals which were struck, so freely at that time. The tradition of an artistic - coinage .was maintained pretty well f into the eighteenth century, said Dr. Lester, who exhibited a very fap piece of relief work—the gold £5 piece struck at the coronation of George IV. or IHI., as it appears on the coin—a specimen of which, new from • the mint, he had inherited from his greatgrandfather, a member of the British Parliament. _ “Since that time,” continued Dr. Lester, “the. design of,file British coinage has been, comparatively commonplace, and the present proposal seems to afford an opportunity, if the right measures are taken, for New Zealand to produce something of -real -artistic - merit, • As- everyone knows, there are first-class artists and craftsmen in New Zealand, and if the Government took steps.fo make the designing of the coinage a matter of .open competition, arid if, moreover, a judging committee of competent artists was appointed, the coining of silver might not only be a financial convenience to the Government, as no doubt it would be, but also it might be a lasting witness to the artistic achievement of the Dominion.” ,• x