Paul Vincze, Coin Designer

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Paul Vincze.

Paul Vincze was born in Hungary in 1907 into an artistic family. The son of a Jewish father and Roman Catholic mother, he studied at High School of Arts and Crafts in Budapest. His early interest in sculpture led him to the studio of E. Telcs, one of the school's great medallists and teachers, where he stayed for seven years.

In 1935 he won a scholarship to Rome, where his work took on a more classical influence, and two years later he moved to England (he became a British subject in 1948) where he worked from his small studio in Chelsea. He designed and modelled medals and coins for many different nations. After his marriage in 1958 to a French woman, Emillenne "Betty" Chauzeix, Vincze spent more time in France and finally moved permanently to a studio overlooking the Mediterranean at Magagnosc, near Nice, where he died in 1994 at the age of 86.

Note: Vincze is pronounced "VINT-seh".

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In the mid-1950s Mr Vincze designed a new circulation set for Guernsey.

It depicted Guernsey lilies and a Guernsey cow.

His initials (P.V.) are often to be found on his designs.

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Mr Vincze was responsible for the designs of Guinea's circulation coins dated 1960-62.

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Mr Vincze also designed Guernsey's decimal coins that came into circulation between 1968 and 1971.

He was not responsible for the design of the 50p.

½p.  Denomination.
1p.   Gannet.
2p.   Sark windmill.
5p.   Guernsey lily.
10p. Guernsey cow.

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1959. Threepence.  Cotton plant.



1959. 2 shillings.  Peanut plant.

In the late 1950s, Mr Vincze shared with Humphrey Paget the design of Nigeria's first independence set.

NOTE: The crowned effigy of Elizabeth II was designed by Cecil Thomas.

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Mr Vincze had also designed some of the 1955 Rhodesia Nyasaland set, again with Humphrey Paget.

Here are his designs.

3d.  Flame lily.
6d.  Lioness.
1s.  Sable antelope.

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Mr Vincze designed Malawi's first circulation coins in the mid 1960s.

He also produced the portrait of President Banda of Malawi.

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Mr Vinzce also produced the portrait of President Nkrumah for Ghana's pre-decimal coins.

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1  tambala.  Domestic cock.
2  tambala.  Paradise whydah.
5  tambala.  Purple heron.
10 tambala.  Corn cob.
20 tambala.  Elephants.

When Malawi went decimal in the 1970s, Mr Vincze once again provided their designs.

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To see some of Mr Vincze's unadopted designs for Guernsey, visit this topic:

Guernsey Decimal Variations

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Excellent to see these designs together. In those of the fifties, I see strong echos of Art Nouveau (think Gaudi, see also what looks like a copper plate behind him on the picture) such as the symmetrical plants, straight, even elongated animal backs and stylized flowers. From the 70's on, the designs become more natural, spontaneous, but also shallower. I think his portraits are superb.

There is a strong current in coin designing in favour of copying a photograph, without emotion or interpretation. Personally, I would like to see more thought and style poured into a design.

Peter

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There is a strong current in coin designing in favour of copying a photograph, without emotion or interpretation. Personally, I would like to see more thought and style poured into a design.

That's what's wrong with many of NZ's current NCLT - they are done by stamp designers, who seem to transfer their 2-D stamp images to a coin die without thinking of the extra opportunities that third dimension gives them. 

Coming back to Paul Vincze, there's something about his style that is instantly recognisable - compare this medal for John Walker, Secretary RNS and Keeper of Coins and Medals, done by Vincze in about 1964:

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Here is another design that Vincze created.

It depicts King Idris, the only ever king of Libya.

The portrait appears above on a Libyan two piastres coin of 1952.

Here you see Mr Vincze's trademark initials at the base of the coin.

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Uganda, 5 shillings, 1968.  This FAO-themed design was created by Paul Vincze.

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Jamaica, $1, 1969.

Mr. Vincze produced this portrait of Sir Alexander Bustamante.

He was Jamaica's first prime minister. He died in 1967.