Tokyo Olympics 2020

Earn the fern, then and now

Project: Coin design
My role: Concept + Design.

New Zealand Post wanted to produce a coin set to commemorate the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. We wanted to remember the first time NZ teams attended the Olympics and then take a look at the present day, a look to the past and a nod to the now. We settled on 3 sports to showcase on each coin, sports that NZ teams participated in, in 1920; Rowing, Swimming and Athletics [running] and sports for today 2020; Cycling, Weight Lifting and Taekwondo. It’s interesting to see the different types of sports now in the games!

A fern element was incorporated as a central element. This tied in with a stamp set and promotional campaigns by the Olympics Committee with a theme: Earn the fern. Earn the fern celebrates kiwis doing just that - earning the fern they wear.

The 1920 coin featured a font from the period and is finished with an antique patina, whilst the 2020 coin is highly polished with a mirror finish and uses a modern day font.

Challenges - COVID!
You may not know but the Tokyo 2020 was postponed! We eventually had them! So our lovely coins say 2020… that makes it more collectable right? Surely. HA :)

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I also designed two other coins. One produced in gold and silver with coloured features celebrating the location - Tokyo with Mt Fuji, and a Limited Edition coin celebrating 100 years of Olympics Games.

You can find out more and buy them too> here: