The Euro never looked so good 12 Nov 2008

The Euro just got a much needed facelift...

This newly-minted design is the brainchild of artist and architect Stani Michiels - the winner of a competition set by the Dutch Ministry of Finance to reinvent the Five Euro coin based on the theme of "[The] Netherlands and Architecture".

The front of the coin comprises a list of the 109 most prominent Dutch architects (of all time), placed in order of how many hits are returned when you search for them on the internet. (Wondering why there are 109? Simple: Only109 would fit in the space available!). As you can see, these names are set in varying font weights, so as to cause a portrait of Queen Beatrix to emerge.

On the reverse, Michiels has placed a set of recently-published architecture books - their spines arranged in a way that creates a map of The Netherlands in the "negative space" in the centre of the coin. The birds' silhouettes mark the capitals of the Dutch provinces.

Beautiful - but we still like the new UK coins best! (We would say that though!)

[via CR Blog]