COINS-2016: development benchmark of the coin market is set

COINS is the only conference in Russia which is about commemorative and investment coins. Representative of the Bank of Russia, specialists from Goznak, heads of national and commercial banks, world largest mints, coin distributors, auction houses and numismatic saloons took part in this event.

On the opening day of COINS-2016, 22 September, the awarding ceremony of Coin Constellation-2016, the tenth anniversary international commemorative coins contest, was organized. This year more than 240 coins and 21 coin series from 29 countries were represented. In the nomination ‘Coin of the Year’ the first place was given to the coin ‘The Centenary of the Armenian Genocide’ issued by the Central Bank of Armenia. This coin as well as many prizewinning coins of the contest were displayed at the booths of many exhibitors.

Issues concerning the current situation on the commemorative and investment coins market, coin production innovations, design, marketing and advertising were discussed at the COINS conference which gathered more than 300 participants from dozens of countries.

The academician Alexander Baklanov, Chief Artist of Goznak Designer Center, told about specifics of design of modern commemorative coins.

Kazakhstan coins — not only numismatic monuments, their concept is to build a true dialogue of cultures. This thesis was the main message of the presentation by Almat Basenov, Chief Specialist-Designer of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Of a special interest to the conference delegates was the presentation of Skaryna’s Way commemorative coins series prepared by Svetlana Nekrasova, Chief specialist of Issue and Cash Operations Directorate of Central Cash Circulation Department of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus.

Participants of COINS could learn the history of 500-year Belarusian book printing shown on coins. It is important to note that Svetlana Nekrasova was awarded at the Coin Constellation for the contribution to the development of commemorative coins market.

Yulia Pospelova, Leading Economist of the Commemorative Coins Division of the Cash Circulation Department of the Bank of Russia, introduced delegates to some aspects of the investment coins market growth in Russia.

What is the world market of precious metals now? What are its price trends, prospects and condition? These questions were replied to by Oxana Lukicheva, Analyst of Precious Metals Department of Bank Otkritie Financial Corporation. Mr Jacek Jakobczak, Executive Director of International Coin House, provided the market development forecasts for different segments: investment, collecting, souvenirs and gifts.

Dr Rolf Mueller-Syring, Managing Director of Geiger Edelmetalle, shared his practical experience of the private German mint.

Alexey Akinin, Head of Coins and Orders Department of the Scientific Research Institute – Branch of Goznak, made an accent on protection of modern coins from counterfeit and reviewed of tendencies.
Sergey Zaitsev, Head of Laboratory of the Institute of microelectronics technology and high purity materials of Russian Academy of Science, covered the application of fine relief (such as rainbow holograms, real holograms) to coins, bullion or precious items by modern methods of nanostructuring.
Lukasz Karda, Technical and Production Organization Department Director of Mint of Poland, elaborated on the most innovative tarnishing protection for silver coins.

One of the sessions was completely about coin sales. Sergey Manzelenko, Representative of PCGS in Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe, told about the change of the buyer during the recent years and his influence on the investment market.

The owner and CEO of Numiscom, Oliver Jungherr, explaned realities of the coin whole sale in changing and challenging times.

Conference participants noted a special practical use of the presentation made by Galina Grigoreva, PR Director of the Water Mark Publishing House, who revealed top 10 successful marketing tools for the coin business.

Any visitor of the show was invited to attend open numismatic seminars held on the second day of the event. At one of them professionals discussed possible directions of investment coins market development, including off board.

The main Russian tool of investment into precious metals is gold St. George the Victorious. Sergey Sitnichenko, Director of Department of Retail Banking of the Interbank Association ORGBANK LTD, covered advantages of such a financial solution.

The systematic electronic catalogue of the Russian Empire coins was the topic of an interesting presentation by Igor Shiryakov, Head of the Numismatic Department of the State Historical Museum.
Sergey Zverev, Head of Department of Numismatics and Archeology of the Moscow Kremlin Museums, spoke about money reforms in the Russian state in XVII century and principles of decoration of new coins.
Safety shopping of collectables in the Internet is a concern for almost everybody. That is why Aliya Biryukova, Commercial Director of NewAuction, received a lot of questions and proposals after her presentation.

The exhibition COINS-2016 consisted of 60 exhibitors. The central booth was given to the Gold Sponsor – Goznak JSC. Modern commemorative and investment coins were displayed at the booths of RIAL-CREDIT, National Bank of the Republic of Belarus, National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, National Bank of Kazakhstan, the Czech Mint, Transnistrian Republican Bank, Transstroibank, Khanty-Mansiysky Bank Otkrytie, Resource Trade, French companies ART MINT and CGB.fr, MDC SARL from Monaco, Moneda Nueva (Spain/Russia), Numiscom GmbH & Co KG (Germany), NumisCollect (Netherlands) and others.
Guests of the exhibition got an opportunity to buy historic coins of HERMESAUCTION (Russia), flip through catalogues of the world known auction houses — HERITAGE AUCTIONS и Stack’s Bowers Galleries, both from the USA.

More than 5000 people visited the exhibition COINS-2016. They topped off their collections with rare and souvenir coins of precious metals, decorated with brilliants and crystals, nanochips and nanocrystals, coins of high technological and designer skills.

Everybody had a chance to mint a coinlike commemorative token with the COINS-2016 logo using a Goznak historic embossing press. There was also a coin-operated ride giving free coins for luck. The Biblio-Globus robot was answering numismatic questions.

The COINS exhibition traditionally attracts not only numismatists but whole families willing to try fortune in numerous creative contests, quests, quizzes, and master-classes. Winners were awarded with precious metal coins, coin sets, book, catalogues, albums and many other valuable prizes.

Experts from the exhibition center ‘The Mint’ by Goznak introduced visitors to numismatic masterpieces of their center and organized prize quizzes about money. The children’s area ‘Monetkino’ hosted a lot of kids who could participate in the contest “Mint the Coin of Friendship’, find treasures together with Buratino and Jack the Sparrow, make a handmade panel picture of coins ‘The Money Tree’ which brings luck and prosperity.

Gold Sponsor of the Seventh International Conference and Exhibition COINS-2016 is Goznak, Co-organizer of the business programme for the exhibition visitors is the French numismatic company CGB.FR, Partner of the Exhibition Programme is the Czech Mint, Co-organizer of the cultural programme is Gohran of Russia, Co-organizer of the kids’ programme is the Museum of Money.
The organizer of the conference and exhibition COINS-2016 is the Water Mark Publishing House issuing the Gold Chervonets Magazine about coins and organizing the yearly international contest ‘Coin Constellation’.
COINS-2016 was supported by the Association of Regional Banks of Russia.
Media Partners of COINS-2016: the Gold Chervonets Magazine, the Analytical Banking Journal, the Banking Review, the National Banking Magazine, the Numismatics Magazine, CoinsWeekly, Monnaie Magazine, CGB.fr, Biblio-Globus Trading House, InterCrim-press Publishers and Krause Publications,Association of the Regional Banks of Russia, online auction and trading platform ‘NewAuction

Additional information: info@watermark.ru, tel.: +7 (812) 495-43-01 (-02), +7 (812) 346-50-15 (-16, -17, -18).