2017-12-12 Tue

The first 5-euro collector coin “Subtropical Climate Zone” was struck on 8th December in Germany by senior officials. It is the second of the “Climate Zones of the Earth” coin series. Every coin in the series features a polymer ring between the ring and the core. This makes the coin look beautiful and also acts as a strong security element. Officials believe that if the coins are released into circulation it would be beneficial to the vending industry as well.

The coin is made by representatives of State Mints of Baden Wuerttemberg, the Bavarian State Mint, and the industry. It comes with high level of counterfeit protection which can be integrated with overt, covert and latent security features, making them as secure as a banknote.

The colored polymer ring is the overt counterfeit feature. It is minted along with the coin and has the same relief as the metal. The feature is almost impossible to be duplicated. A latent security feature like nano-pigments can be easily added to the ring which will be visible in UV light.

The coin also has a higher level of security when used in ATMs. Moreover, there won’t be any need to replace existing systems required for the vending industry. These can be simply reprogrammed, thus reducing costs to a great extent.

Experts state that vending machines can be used to distribute fake coins on a large scale which is why this technology can be path-breaking. Researchers have observed that sensors are sometimes not able to process minimal reactions in areas where two different metals meet in a coin. The mintable polymer eliminates this problem as the metals are two completely separated. The coin has won two international professional awards for the technologically most innovative coin.