UFO MP-1766 is the world’s first levitating legal tender. It was commissioned by the Cameroon National Bank and created by Mennica Polska, the Polish Mint.
The name of this innovative coin was inspired by its likeness to a flying saucer and its ability to slowly rotate in the air like an alien spacecraft. The number 1766 reflects the founding date of the Polish Mint as well as the coin’s denomination, 1,766 Cameroonian francs ($2.91). As you can probably guess, although it can be used in Cameroon as legal tender, the value of this tiny wonder of engineering is considerably higher than its official denomination. With a limited mintage of only 510 units worldwide, the UFO MP-1766 has a pre-order price of over $1,000. The prototype coin was unveiled at last week’s Technical Forum in Berlin and will be available this upcoming spring.
“We wondered what to surprise the participants of the Technical Forum with this time… Łukasz Karda, director of the Polish Mint’s technical and production planning department,” told the Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper. “We assembled a team of experts from various company divisions, including marketing and production. The idea was spontaneous: ‘Let’s make a flying coin’. At first, it sounded like a good joke, but with each passing day, it became clear that we were up to the task. We found the right technology and it worked. Work went smoothly, production went rapidly.”
Mennica Polska hasn’t offered too many details on the technology behind UFO MP-1766, but according to the little information we do have, the innovative coin has a small motor embedded in it which is activated by a magnetic field generated between the coin and the special base it comes with. This allows the silver coin to levitate and slowly rotate like a flying saucer.
Apart from its levitating capabilities and futuristic design, the UFO MP-1766 also has fluorescent elements that glow in the dark, adding to the dramatic effect.
Mennica Polska is the only private body permitted to manufacture coins and investment products in Poland and the sole manufacturer of commemorative coins issued by the National Bank of Poland. To make the UFO MP-1766 legal tender and not just a levitating piece of silver, the company decided to partner with an “exotic” central bank.
“We cannot simply create a coin that goes into official circulation, because only central banks have the right to issue money,” Łukasz Karda said. “Therefore, there is a business model of getting in touch with somewhat exotic foreign banks, in this case the Bank of Cameroon.”
