Design gimmicks that extend across a whole circulation set

[quaziright]

Would you count the australian circulation set that commemorates their Dollar coins or the canadian sets to commemorate confederation? tbh, i can't really tell what you mean by gimmick. I understand that as a ploy to get collectors to buy them, so Cape Verde and Gibraltar fit the bill. But the UK or even Tonga? that seems out of place

[<k>]

As I wrote up-thread, what you regard as a gimmick is a subjective concept. I regard the UK jigsaw concept as a gimmick (a concept in low taste) and I know fellow collectors who do also. Others may think it a fine thing - it's up to them.

Also, it's in the nature of the "gimmicks" I'm thinking about that they are unusual in their approach, and therefore they stand out. One-off commemorative sets such as the Australian and Canadian versions do not stand out, as there are now several such sets from various countries. However, when the Canadian 1967 set was released, some might have regarded it as a gimmick in that it spread commemoratives across a whole circulation set, instead of just one or two coins. Others may have been impressed and regarded it as a fine innovation. And here I repeat myself once more: what starts as a gimmick may over the years become standard.

Moreover, the motivation behind a gimmick or innovation as regards a circulation set is not usually to attract collectors. This is because the set will circulate anyway. With collector coins, gimmicks or innovations will indeed attract more buyers in some cases.

If you do not like the word "gimmick" in my topic title, then suggest something else. I think that the phrase "design innovations" would not quite convey the full flavour of the topic. Any suggestions?