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World’s First QR Code Coin

By Roger ⋅ June 16, 2011 ⋅ Email this post ⋅ Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

The Royal Dutch Mint have produced a limited edition of QR Coded coins to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Mint in Utrecht. The silver 5€ (image below) and the gold 10€ will be issued on June 22, 2011 when the Mint promises that if you scan the code “…you will be surprised at what you’ll see”. The code scans as http://www.q5g.nl and at the time of writing resolves to the Royal Dutch Mint’s non-mobile site. It will be interesting to see just how scannable the code really is in practice, given that the larger of the two coins is only 33 mm in diameter.

If it is actually possible to design a very low cost, good looking coin with an easily scanned QR Code then I have had an idea! National Mints could put these coins into mass circulation and auction weekly leases on the QR Code redirect. Imagine ads such as - Scan your quarters this week to enter the Pepsi Million Dollar Giveaway contest. Any mint taking up this idea is requested to send me a large quantity of free samples :)

Royal Dutch Mint 5 Euro coin with a QR Code.

Discussion

6 comments for “World’s First QR Code Coin”

  1. I love your marketing idea! I wonder if it will ever get used.

    Posted by Steve Smith | June 16, 2011, 11:07 am

  2. I was at Marcom in Amsterdam and a company called Promoclip http://www.promoclip.nl was exhibiting a paper clip 11.5mm x 25 mm x 15 mm x 15 mm with a QR code on it which could be read with my scanner. The coin at 33 mm is a no brainer.

    Posted by Jim Morrison | June 20, 2011, 7:53 am

  3. Do you think the contrast ratios will be dark enough?

    -pd

    Posted by Patrick Donnelly | June 27, 2011, 3:06 pm

  4. This site http://www.q5g.nl is using Google Analytics so they could easily add tracking parameters into that QR code to know exactly how much it has been used.

    Posted by Petri Mertanen | June 27, 2011, 4:43 pm

  5. Brilliant idea, and not a bad looking coin either. I like the way he’s used the 8bit-like style for the rest of the central design for that side.

    I presume you’re going to try and get one? How do you intend to do this, as I’d love to own one too.

    Posted by Duncan Sample | July 3, 2011, 12:07 am

  6. The coin has been recently awarded as the world’s most innovative coin and the world’s best coin as COIN OF THE YEAR AWARD 2013 ( COTY ) at Krause Awards, the most prestigious and important prizes in numismatics.See link:
    http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=26201
    The coin also features a six images latent image:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_zhX3b9qMI

    Posted by Cool D Sign | December 21, 2012, 5:19 pm

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