Liras, drachmas and kroons: coins before the euro tell their own stories
Prior to the introduction of the euro on 1 January 1999, the European continent was awash in a huge variety of national coins. For their animation Beautiful Coins, the design studio NEWGOLD weaved together obsolete coins from each of the 19 countries that now exclusively use the European Union’s currency. All the coin designs hint at a national ethos, providing a stylised rendering of a moment in the history of each country. The result is a visually pleasing exploration of separate yet intersecting, and ultimately converging, stories.
Director: Alessandro Novelli
Animators: Alessandro Novelli, Victor Perez, Joao Lucas

videoWar and peace
The extraordinary craft and fascinating symbolism of a pre-Incan ceremonial shield
3 minutes

videoHistory
In Stalin’s home city in Georgia, generations clash over his legacy
20 minutes

videoDesign and fashion
A ceramicist puts her own bawdy spin on the folk language of pottery
14 minutes

videoHome
How an artist transformed a dilapidated hunting lodge into a house made of dreams
8 minutes

videoInformation and communication
An animation built from road signs is a whirlwind study of flash communication
2 minutes

videoMaking
Trek to a remote Himalayan village where artisans craft teapots fit for kings
11 minutes

videoPolitics and government
How it looked to Afghan women to see the Taliban return to power
33 minutes

videoEngineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes

videoDesign and fashion
The ornate, the aromatic, the cruel – Valentine’s cards before the age of Hallmark
16 minutes