Why is a portrait on a coin a half-face image on paper money that is face-to-face?

Vietnam has stopped casting and circulating coins since 2011, but this currency is quite popular in many countries around the world.

As early as the 7th century BC, the first coins were produced in the Lydia region with decorative bulls or lions.

Today, countries' coins often have famous or great heads carved on one side of the coin.

Coins often picture the famous heads of that country.

However, with the exception of a few rare exceptions , the coins of the countries often engraved the portraits while the paper money portrayed the face.

This is strange even though artists often prefer portraits more accurately when they can portray the character's character.

The cause is very simple, the technique of engraving on metal is very complicated, making it difficult to create a face portrait on a coin. The buoyancy of a coin-based portrait is usually less than 0.4cm, making it difficult to engrave the details necessary to recognize a face portrait.

On the other hand, when carving out a half-face image, it is only enough to draw on the outline of the character.

Creating a portrait directly on a coin is possible but costly.

Although creating a face portrait on a coin is possible, the cost will be very expensive, moreover, it will be blurred very quickly during use, making it difficult for consumers to recognize the character on the coin. .

Meanwhile, paper money is often printed face-to-face by complex motifs that will make it harder to counterfeit coins. In addition, portraits on paper money are not susceptible to blurring compared to coins.

In terms of economics, printing images on the face of the coin makes them stay longer in the market, thereby saving money printing costs.

According to the latest US government report, the country has to spend 1.7 cents to create a 1 cent coin (Penny), losing 8 cents to create a 5 cent (Nickel) coin. This figure is still nothing compared to 2011 when the US government lost 2.41 cents to produce 1 cent coin and 11.18 cents to make VND 5 cents.

Cost of producing coins in the US.

The main reason is due to the rise in the metal price, so the cost of money casting increases.

Previously, US 1 cent copper was made 95% in dong, but due to copper price increase, in 1982, 1-cent dong was made of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper.

Until now, metal prices are still rising and scientists have yet to find out what other reasonable materials other than zinc in coin casting. Furthermore, changing materials will cost the Washington government a lot of money to replace old coins with new ones.

In 2014 alone, the US government spent more than $ 114 million to produce 1 cent of copper, lost 83.7 million USD to produce 5 cents, costing 72.3 million USD for 10 cents and 133 million USD. for 25 cents.

Also in 2014, the Washington government released more than VND 7 billion 1 new cent and about several million coins of other types.