CASH, COINS AND COVID SEMINAR

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V23 2020 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 23, Number 50, December 13, 2020, Article 34

The Mint Directors Conference (MDC) is an industry organization of government mints worldwide. Well aware of the challenges facing cash in general and the COVID pandemic shortages in particular, the group is offering a Zoom seminar titled Cash, Coins and COVID: The Perfect Storm. Registration seems to be open to all, so perhaps some curious readers will want to listen in. It starts at 11AM London time Tuesday December 15, 2020. Here's the announcement. -Editor

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, coin circulation faced challenges. Although coins are a payment instrument in their own right, they are, of course, only one part of the cash cycle. Any consideration of the impact of COVID on coins starts with the wider payment scene to provide the full picture.

This webinar will first review the ongoing challenges facing coins, before examining in more depth what has happened to payments since March, considering circulation data, payment surveys and payment reports. Clearly Europe is different from Africa which is different from Asia etc. In the mix is not just how consumer payments are now being made, but also the rapid development of RTGS systems, developments in non-bank payment systems and the shadow of Libra (Diem) and China's CBDC, all of which aim to transform payments.

How do we forecast the future when the past cannot be used to predict it? There are key indicators that enable non-cash payments, and it is possible to segment societies according to how they prefer to pay. But how to then model this?

Finally, some thoughts on how to approach sustaining cash beyond just cutting costs.

Although this webinar will start and end with coins, it seeks to allow us all to think more widely about cash as just one payment option.

Astrid Mitchell, CEO of Reconnaissance International, is also editor of Currency News, a position she has held since it was established in 2003, along with the producer of related publications in the banknote and coins sectors and Director of the biennial Coin Conference.

John Winchcombe
Consultant (Currency and Payments) @Reconnaissance International

John Winchcombe has worked with central banks on the design, issue and circulation of banknotes from joining De La Rue in 1988 to today. His De La Rue career has included working in banknote paper mill and print works, responsibility for new product development of paper, polymer, print, machine readable and optical features for banknotes and marketing strategy. John's last job at De La Rue was four years as Product Development and Marketing Director for the Currency business. Forecasting and market intelligence were a key part of this role. During John's time at De La Rue he worked closely with the Royal Mint.

For more information, or to register, see:
MDC Webinar Registration (https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fKVk1HjXRyWcOcioG-QNVA)