AUSTRALIAN MINT SUED BY CANADA OVER PATENT

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V21 2018 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 21, Number 7, February 18, 2018, Article 28

In the can't-we-all-just-get-along department is this article from Canadian Coin News about a patent dispute between Canadian and Australian mints. Here's an excerpt - see the complete article online for more. -Editor

The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) is suing its Australian equivalent, the Royal Australian Mint (RAM), following an alleged patent infringement dating back to 2012.

Documents filed by the RCM in Australia’s federal court on Dec. 22 allege the RAM used a patented printing method relating to how the latter mint printed red poppies on its commemorative Remembrance Day coins. The RCM is now demanding 500,000 $2 coins struck by the RAM – with a total value of $2 million – be turned over or destroyed. The RCM is also requesting the RAM be restrained from further patent infringement or from “making, selling, supplying or otherwise disposing of, using or keeping the infringing coins.” They also want Australian officials to admit their wrongdoing and turn over or destroy all promotional materials related to the infringing coins. Lastly, the RCM is demanding the RAM surrender its profits from the infringement or pay damages.

“The Royal Canadian Mint has launched legal proceedings against the RAM for infringement of the Mint’s patent in Australia when RAM produced a colour printed version of the Australian $2 coin with a red poppy without first having obtained our consent to do so,” RCM media relations manager Alex Reeves told CCN.

“Despite the Mint’s ongoing efforts to resolve the matter since 2015, it has become necessary for us to institute infringement proceedings to protect and preserve our intellectual property rights.”

I'm actually surprised we don't see more of such disputes, but on the other hand I've seen a good deal of cooperation among national mints as well. There is indeed a great deal of technology and innovation involved with the development of new coin concepts. There has been an explosion of innovation in recent years, driven by both private and public sectors. One can laugh at some of the gimmicks appearing in the marketplace (it spins, glows in the dark, and winks at you!), but you can't deny that the state of the art in coinage has been driven to new heights. -Editor