Local Currency Project
Task: Create the design for a locally minted coin for our county or city.
Design criteria
Design criteria
- Analyze data for the different properties, abundance and cost of at least 3 different metals. (One per person. Though more are allowed.)
- Do some research on alloys out there and perhaps some existing coins and how they are minted.
- Create a design for the front and back of your coin. Assign a monetary value for the coin.
- Decide on a composition for your coin. Justify your choice using chemical and physical properties as well as cost and other relevant factors.
Individual Project Component
- Each student will select one metal to research. Below are some resources to guide you. Consider these a starting point and not an exhaustive list.
- Each member will fill in the Local Currency Project: Mineral Resources Sheet and bring in a hard copy to be submitted with their group project.
- Failure for a group member to do their individual component will not impact the group grade; however, it may reduce the available data for good decision making.
Group Component
As a group decide the composition of the coin after reviewing each member's Mineral Resources Sheet. Fill in the Local Currency Specifications Sheet. Design the front and back of the coin. The design needs to be larger than the actual coin with annotations. Plan who is doing which tasks to balance out the work.
As a group decide the composition of the coin after reviewing each member's Mineral Resources Sheet. Fill in the Local Currency Specifications Sheet. Design the front and back of the coin. The design needs to be larger than the actual coin with annotations. Plan who is doing which tasks to balance out the work.
Some Suggested Resources
USGS Resources on Minerals - each member of your group needs to research at least one metal; make sure you coordinate so that two people do not research the same metal
Commodity Prices
Monex - For prices of precious metals look for the bullion prices
Composition of US Coins
Compositon of the Cent - a brief history of the penny
Composition of Canadian Coins - a list of composition over time - What do you notice? Why the change?
Design a Coin - this company makes coins; play around with their software and do a screenshot or hand draw yours or make use of another program. NOTE: The science is the main part. So put some effort here but make sure the other part is solid first.
USGS Resources on Minerals - each member of your group needs to research at least one metal; make sure you coordinate so that two people do not research the same metal
Commodity Prices
Monex - For prices of precious metals look for the bullion prices
Composition of US Coins
Compositon of the Cent - a brief history of the penny
Composition of Canadian Coins - a list of composition over time - What do you notice? Why the change?
Design a Coin - this company makes coins; play around with their software and do a screenshot or hand draw yours or make use of another program. NOTE: The science is the main part. So put some effort here but make sure the other part is solid first.
Further Studies
Learn about the growing movement of local currencies: PBS NewsHour
Branded currency - BitCoins and other branded coins: TedTalk
Some local currencies
Fairbucks - Fairfax, CA
Ithaca Hours - Ithaca, NY
Berkshare - Berkshire, MA
Learn about the growing movement of local currencies: PBS NewsHour
Branded currency - BitCoins and other branded coins: TedTalk
Some local currencies
Fairbucks - Fairfax, CA
Ithaca Hours - Ithaca, NY
Berkshare - Berkshire, MA
