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UCC14 Nomination Thread 2B1: 1971 And Later-Ugly By Design-I'm Not Bad, I'm Just Engraved That Way


ikaros

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Modern
Ugly By Design
I'm Not Bad, I'm Just Engraved That Way


Please enter your coins from 1971 and after that are examples of poor aesthetics. This is a monumentally subjective call; entrants in this thread should simply exemplify poor design. Due to the particularly subjective nature of this category, your comments as to why it is poor/unaesthetic design are strongly recommended.

For each coin, please enter the following information:

Your ID
The URL for the coin image on Omnicoin
A brief identification of the coin
(optional) Any further relevant information

So an entry might look like the following:

JRandomUsername
http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/nnnnnnn.jpg
1994A German 5 Mark
Somewhere between blandly sterile, and sterilely bland. Brings minimalism to a new low of saying absolutely nothing at all.


You may enter a maximum of five (5) coins.

 

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Art1.2 2B1#1

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/999711.jpg

1977 QEII 25th Anniversary Crown

I just cannot warm to the design of this coin. The reverse is particularly unattractive to me. Way too busy. The obverse looks like someone was playing with photoshop and overlayed the horse and rider on top of a completed edge ring design but didn't want to shrink the design to fit within the circle.

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Art1.2 2B1#2

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/999677.jpg

1981 Diana and Charles Crown

A bad portrait. When found in pristine condition the coin is acceptably attractive but one an amount of use begins the portraits begin to take on far less attractive characteristics. The way the portraits are positioned is quite unattractive to start with. Don't like Charles looking into Diana's ear and all that.

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Art1.2 2B1#3

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/1001370.jpg

2005 Luxembourg 2 Euro Commemorative

Placing two portraits on the surface of a coin is at best difficult. To make the two portraits reside in the same small space and present them attractively is almost impossible. In this case the portrait of Adolphe has a strange appearance. The nose is sharply pointed and the large blob directly below it - his mustache in reality, is really unattractive. They could have done better.

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Art1.2 2B1#4

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/1001259.jpg

1979S SBA Dollar

This is a split decision coin. The obverse -- four thumbs down. The reverse -- four thumbs up. You have the combination of a hastily designed obverse and a re-used reverse (see Ike dollars) providing this overall less than attractive coin. SBA was not an attractive woman - physically - to start with. Then a far from flattering portrait was crammed into the face of a tiny coin in full profile vs a more attractive angle of view. It has been rumored that Frank Gasparro did not want to do this design and therefore did the job that we see. A gem proof coin with a solid cameo is actually quite pleasing to the eye. They are not very commonly seen.

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Art1.2 2B1#5

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/1001256.jpg

1972S Eisenhower Dollar

Another split decision for me. While the obverse shows a rather stark and unflattering portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower - one of my favorite Generals and Presidents - the reverse shows the wonderful depiction of the Eagle Moon Landing with Earth in the background. Designed by Frank Gasparro, as was the SBA dollar, the reverse of this coin is one of my favorites in modern US coinage. The obverse could have been so much better. For example:

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcRVfxCCStO6_FfntyPml5hfsp1AyQ5AAm87McxVf17JH-3tbjmi&usqp=CAE

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ikaros

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/1025454.jpg

2009D Jefferson Nickel

The US Mint, in their "wisdom", dispensed with the dignified if slightly dull Felix Schlag design and the really, really nice "peekaboo" obverse from the Westward Ho series, in order to give us Nancy Kulp as Thomas Jefferson. And of course, like all other current American coins, it has all the depth and sculpting of a washer.

 

ikaros

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/1025455.jpg

2007P Wyoming SHQ

There are a multitude of sins here. First of course is the common obverse with all the depth and character of a washer -- Washington's wig should be sculpted, not grooved! -- just like all other modern circulating issues in the US. In comparison, though, the reverse makes a washer look interesting. A cowboy on a bucking bronco doesn't make me think of Wyoming; there are too many other states with a cowboy tradition. And a silhouette of a cowboy on a bucking bronco alongside the state nickname only suggests to me that this design was finalized when someone realized the deadline to get it to the Mint was later that same day.

 

ikaros

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/1025456.jpg

1986 Polish 20 Złotych

Sometime around 1980, the engravers at the Polish mint threw up their hands and said, "Aw, the heck with it" and the dramatic designs of the 60s and 70s disappeared, to be replaced by boring large numbers. Either that, or they threw in their lot with Solidarity, got sacked, and were replaced by a Polish Communist Party committee with all the creative ability of a slightly demented rock.

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scottO

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/984458.jpg

2004 1 rupee pakistan

 

only thing going for it is the coin is struck in High relief, however the reverse just looks rushed and drawn quickly rather then neat and tidy.

 

scottO

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/966208.jpg

1994 5 cents cyprus

 

never been a fan of these designs, just seems so plain and little about the place, or much there to fill the space.

 

scottO

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/972166.jpg

 

1983 5 millime Tunisia

 

Tunisian coins are usualy full of design, however this one is stuck on Aluminium, lightly struck and there not much but the generic reverse design, and a tree on the obverse.

 

scottO

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/968502.jpg

 

1977 2 forint, Hungary

 

not a bad design, but the Obverse design in its position just looks odd, would look better more central instead of pushed down.

 

scottO

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/968319.jpg

 

1985 25 pesetas, Spain

 

Reverse is just boring, a crown the demonination and the date in a star, and that is it, no coat of arms, or extra details, just a bit bland.

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