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Stuart Devlin, Coin Designer

Started by <k>, June 15, 2010, 12:40:20 PM

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<k>



Stuart Devlin was born in Geelong, Australia, in 1931. In his third year of secondary education he chose to become an art teacher, specialising in gold and silver smithing. In 1957 he obtained a post at a Melbourne College and studied for a Diploma of Art in gold and silver smithing. He was awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Art in London, where he excelled and was awarded a Fellowship by the Harkness Foundation of New York. He chose to spend the two-year fellowship at Columbia University in the U.S.

Upon completion of his overseas studies in 1962, he returned to teach in Melbourne, Australia, and subsequently became an inspector of art schools. In 1964 he won a competition to design the first decimal coinage for Australia. The coins, depicting Australia's unique wildlife, were released in 1966 and were a great success with Australians, and indeed they are still popular with collectors around the world.

Stuart Devlin died on 18 April 2018.
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<k>

In 1963, when Stuart Devlin was asked to take part in a closed competition to provide Australia's first decimal coin designs, he was not enthusiastic. He thought of coin design as a two-dimensional art, whereas, as a gold- and silversmith, he worked in three dimensions. However, he learned that some prestigious Australian graphic designers would be taking part, along with a well-known medallist. Additionally, there would be a generous fee! This was quite a temptation for Mr Devlin, who was still relatively unknown in his field.

In a series of monthly sessions, the competition entrants were encouraged to show their work and also criticise the work of the other entrants. The entrants would then improve their offerings, in time for the next session. This encouraged a positive atmosphere, with results that would not have been expected if the entrants had worked alone. Mr Devlin's first offerings were heavily criticised, yet eventually this outsider's designs won him the competition.

Mr Devlin thought that coin designs in general did not fill enough of the flan, and additionally they did not reflect the circular shape of the coins. He was determined that his designs would be different. You can see the results in the posts below.
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<k>


The feather-tailed glider (Acrobates pygmaeus) appeared on the 1 cent coin.
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<k>


The 2 cents coin depicted a frilled necked lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii).
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<k>


The echidna, or spiny anteater, appeared on the 5 cents coin.
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<k>


The 10 cents coin featured a male lyrebird.
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<k>


The 20 cents coin depicted a platypus.
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<k>

#7

The 50 cents coin of 1966 showed a new version of the coat of arms.
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<k>


Years later, Stuart Devlin designed the leaping kangaroos on Australia's first circulation dollar coin of 1984.
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<k>


Mr Devlin also designed Australia's special bicentennial dollar of 1988 in aboriginal style.
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<k>

#10






1c.    Fountain in front of high-rise flat block.   
5c.    Great white egret.                       
10c.  Great crowned seahorse.                   
20c.  Swordfish.                               
50c.  Firefish.                                 
$1.   Squinte - the mythical merlion.         


Mr Devlin next designed Singapore's first circulation set, issued in 1967.

Here are the 5c, 10c, 20c and 50c designs from that set.

To see some of Mr Devlin's alternative designs for Singapore, click here.
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<k>

#11
Mr Devlin designed the circulation coins for the Caymans Islands, a British overseas territory, which were released in 1972. The coins of 50 cents and above are collector coins only and were not designed by him.






1c.    Great Caiman thrush.
5c.    Prawn.
10c.  Green turtle.
25c.  Caiman schooner.
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<k>

#12
The Royal Mint commissioned Mr Devlin to produce a circulation set of coinage for Ethiopia, which was released in 1977. He created all the reverse designs and also the obverse design, showing a lion's head.

The coin sizes in the image below are not to scale.






1   santeem.   Rice farmer working an ox plough.
5   santeem.   Soldier, member of the People's Army.
10 santeem.   Mountain nyala.  Tragelaphus buxtoni.
25 santeem.   Male and female workers rejoicing.
50 santeem.   The People's development.
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<k>

#13

Burundi, 10 francs, 1968.


Stuart Devlin produced this FAO-themed design, showing some of Burundi's agricultural products, namely bananas, barley and maize.

The design was reissued, first on a 10 francs coin of 1971 and then again on a 10 francs coin of 2011.
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<k>


Gibraltar, 25 pence, 1972.  Silver wedding anniversary of the Queen and Prince Philip.
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