Have you ever looked at a coin and wondered where the design ideas come from? Have you ever said to yourself that you could do a better job? Then here is your chance!

US Mint 2018 WWI Design CompetitionBeginning February 29, 2016, the U.S. Mint is having an open competition to design the 2018 World War I Centennial Commemorative silver dollar.

There is a caveat: you have to be an artist of some type and a U.S. citizen 18 years of age or older. Phase I of the competition is the evaluation of up to five examples of your work submitted digitally to the U.S. Mint who is hosting the competition committee. You have to be able to submit a digital portfolio. Even if your work is good and you think you can be part of the competition, you either have to be able to take a good picture of your work or find a photographer who can help.

The “expert jury” will review your portfolio and select no more than 20 artists for the second phase.

Phase II, those selected artists will be asked to submit one design along with a plaster model of both the obverse and reverse for the proposed coin. Only one artist’s design will be selected

The winning artist will receive $10,000 and have your name etched in numismatic lore for being the designer of the coin. For this, your initials will appear on the coin, the Certificate of Authenticity, and in places like the Red Book!

“Artists are expected to distill the program’s design theme to its essence, representing a complicated subject on a very small palette.” A silver dollar is 38 millimeters in diameter!

Application deadline is April 28, 2016.

Cassie McFarland holds up Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Dollar with her design

Cassie McFarland holds up Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Dollar with her design

Remember Cassie McFarland? She was the artist from California who entered the National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin competition and won the design contest. This is the coin whose clad half-dollar won Coin of the Year honors for the most innovative coin on a commemorative that was just about a sellout (over 1 million coins struck).

Artists are always looking for a something to add to their portfolio. McFarland has had her picture in nearly every major newspaper throughout the United States and the image here has made the rounds on social media. I hope she has been able to boost her career with this. She definitely deserves any attention she receives.

Think about it… your design on thousands of coins in the hands of collectors, preserved forever. Cassie’s design is. How about you?

Images courtesy of the U.S. Mint.

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