CCN launches COVID-19 medal design contest

By Jesse Robitaille

CCN is launching a public design contest to commemorate the COVID-19 pandemic in a creative yet positive manner on the reverse of a special medal to be struck later this year.

The finished medal, which will feature a Trajan-themed obverse design, will have a 38-millimetre diameter and a weight of about one ounce. It will be struck with a proof-like finish with the 3D design elements featuring a cameo (frosted) appearance against mirror-like fields. The medal will be struck by the Mississauga Mint, a private mint based in southern Ontario, and will likely be available in three compositions, including silver, nickel and brass (or bronze) with respective mintages of 100, 190 and 190.

“We wish to thank all participants in this design competition for their support in helping to make this a very special keepsake indeed,” said Mike Walsh, publisher and editor of CCN and managing partner of Trajan Publishing Corp.

“Please remember we are not judging the artistic competence of the submission material itself, rather its potential as a struck medal. The material must be of sufficient detail to give the engraver suitable guidance to execute your design.”

The winning designer will be notified by Sept. 15 and receive a $300 gift certificate for Coin & Stamp Supplies – a division of Trajan Publishing – plus a silver medal featuring the winning design. In addition, the winner will be featured in a story highlighting the medal in a future issue of CCN.

The COVID-19 commemorative medal is not part of the series released by CCN in 2017 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Walsh added. Since 2017, two other commemoratives were released as part of that series.

CONTEST RULES & GUIDELINES

The contest is open to the public, and anyone can submit a design for the reverse of the medal using the following rules and guidelines.

Entries must be received by the committee no later than midnight on Sept. 11. Each entry must represent only one design; however, there is no limit to the number of entries that can be submitted by the same person. Submissions can be made physically or electronically.

All entries must include artwork (measuring about 150 millimetres in diameter) in at least one of the three following formats, including:

  • a line drawing (freehand or otherwise) clearly depicting the design elements;
  • a “paste-up” image, including the proposed design and legend; and
  • a plaster cast or other sculpted media.

The artwork must be sufficiently detailed to give the judging committee a clear idea of the proposed design elements, legend and layout.

All entries must also include a short written explanation highlighting the design’s meaning.

All decisions of the judging committee are final.

By submitting a design for consideration, the designer grants CCN exclusive rights to the artwork and agrees the design (and any derivative works) can be used for, but not limited to, the medal and any promotional materials produced by or on behalf of CCN.

Participants must have reached the legal age of majority in the province or territory in which he or she resides by this September or have the written consent of a parent or guardian.

A successful design will incorporate in the legend the year-date 2020 and contain a main design element (or elements) that appear 3D in nature with reasonably high (but not ultra-high) relief.

For more information or to submit a design, visit canadiancoinnews.com/2020designcompetition or contact organizers via email (2020designcompetition@trajan.ca) or by post at:

2020 Design Competition
Trajan Publishing Corporation
PO Box 25009 Rose City RO
Welland ON  L3B 5V0
Canada.

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