The United Kingdom's Royal Mint unveiled their much-anticipated new coin designs, the first redesign since 1968 (thanks for the heads-up, Charlie). The Mint opened a public contest in 2003 and generated an unprecedented 4,000 entries ranging from amateur enthusiasts to professional coin engravers.

Matthew Dent, a twenty-six-year-old designer from Wales, took the contest by storm. Committee members, including Andrew Stafford, director of the Mint, were singing his praises today in the release announcement:

Matthew has taken something that relates to the fabric of Britain in a very real sense, and given a contemporary look and feel to them... he's kept the heritage in the symbols, introduced modernity into the design, and avoided anything fashionable and flippant that might lose some of the gravitas that people have come to associate with British coinage.

One of the more remarkable things about Matthew's design is the way he incorporated the heraldic symbols (central to the theme of British coinage for centuries), specifically the Royal Coat of Arms. "The analogy I always try to use is that it is like a jigsaw," he explains. "The different elements of the shield of the Royal Arms which appear on the coins, once arranged, form the complete shield." Together, the new collection also symbolizes the tribes that joined to create the United Kingdom.

My favorite new coin is the five pence, that sits right at the crux of the Royal Arms, where you can see details from all four quadrants: the lions, the harp, and the fleur de lis border. It's a really fantastic example of honoring the rich tradition of currency while opening a new chapter for a little piece of art that fits in your pocket.