Coin Collector

INTERVIEW Coin Collector | 44 | www.allaboutcoins.co.uk We recently chatted to Aida Alves, 3D Artist and Engraver at the Royal Canadian Mint, and found out more about her role at the company Can you explain your role at Royal Canadian Mint and what you do on a day-to-day basis? I am a 3D Artist/Engraver at the Royal Canadian Mint. I multi- task between artistic and technical processes, which keeps the work interesting. I am responsible for creating coin designs, 3D sculpting, 3D rendering and animations, metal handwork, collaborating with engineers, and product managers on various art projects. Every day is a bit different and I like that about my job. How did you become involved in the design and production of coins? I started out studying human anatomy, fine art, 3D art for video games, TV, and film. I didn’t plan on engraving coins as a career, but the skills were so relate-able to other fields that I studied and worked in that it was a natural fit. Which has been your favourite coin design in which you have been involved? I have a few favourite coin designs that I worked on, but the one that stands out the most would be the Pure Silver Gold-Plated Coin - Norse Gods: Odin - Mintage: 3,500 (2019). My son’s name is Odin and I’ve always really enjoyed the stories in Norse mythology. For a lot of reasons, I really enjoyed working on this coin. What do you think the future holds for coin production? I believe the future for coin production will stand strong for many years to come, especially here at the RCM. We take pride in our thoughtful coin designs and innovations, and RCM has diversified its portfolio to meet demand of circulation coins, service medals, foreign circulation coins, bullion as well as numismatic collectors coins. How do you think coin artwork and design fits into the wider world of art? That’s a very interesting question, and fairly difficult to answer ha! In my mind, coin artwork and design really fits under the branch of art that I’d call industrial. Any time you’re creating something that serves a structural or physical purpose, but also carries significant elements of beauty, art, and design; this fits well in the industrial space. FOCUS ON DESIGN AIDA ALVES