The Mint Directors Conference to Be Held Online in 2022

The biennial Mint Directors Conference, where industry leaders discuss issues regarding cash and coins, will be held online on May 24 and 25. The Conference is normally conducted in person, but the previous Conference, which was set to be held in 2020 in Cape Town, was canceled due to the global pandemic.

The Conference organizers believe that the conditions for a live conference have not been met yet and the next in-person one will be held in Ottawa in 2023. However, they are also of the opinion that such a long period without official events is too long a period, hence they are organizing the Mint Directors Conference Online in 2022.

In their words, “The virtual event is not intended to replace the in-person MDC events, but to provide a necessary bridge whilst the world begins the road back to normality. There will be opportunities for discussion and debate, even in a virtual format . . .”

At the Conference, the future of currency, the effect the global pandemic had on mints, transformations within the mint industry with a focus on sustainability, and collectibles, numismatics, and their connection to digitalization will be discussed. The conference will include research conducted by mints around the world, presentations, panel discussions, and Q&As.

The Conference is divided into four sessions:

1. The Future of Currency in an Uncertain and Rapidly Changing World, held between 11.00 – 13.00 GMT+1 on May 24, and chaired by Marie Lemay, the president and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint.
2. The Impact of COVID on Mints Around the World – Lessons Learned, Consequential Future Risks and Challenges, held between 14.30 – 16.30 GMT+1 on May 24, and chaired by Marc Schwartz, the general director of the Monnaie de Paris (the French national mint).
3. Collectables and Numismatics – Trends, Interests, and Risk, and How Mint Can and Are Responding, held between 11.00 – 13.00 GMT+1 on May 25.
4. Business Transformation and Sustainability, held between 14.30 – 16.30 GMT+1 on May 25, and chaired by Andrew Mills, the director of currency of the Royal Mint.

Besides the chairs, also included on the list of panelists are economists, financial experts, authors, notable academics, and representatives from mints from Australia, Germany, Japan, South Africa, and the US. After the Conference, an internal affairs meeting will be held on May 26, between the attending mint directors and representatives.

Those that are interested in viewing and participating in the Mint Directors Conference Online and learning more about the future of coins and cash will need to pay $350 for a single ticket or $750 for up to 10 people from the same organization. Central banks may also receive tickets free of charge.