Canada reserves them for its notes.
No, which is why I said that notes get more wear and tear on the central folds and the parts near them.
British notes do have raised parts near some of the edges, but that’s off-topic.
Sigh. Winky smilies used to actually mean something …
Okay, a few basic facts for us who aren’t up on our UK kings:
George V ruled from from May 1910 to January 1936. His portraits on British coins face to the left.
Edward VIII was the eldest son of George V. He ruled from January 1936 to December 1936. There are no coins from his reign.
George VI was the brother of Edward VIII and the second eldest son of George V. He became King when Edward VIII abdicated the throne. His portraits on British coins face to the left.
If Edward VIII had been King long enough for coins to be circulated in his reign, they should have faced to the right. No coins were circulated. It is mentioned from many sources that Edward VIII wanted his coins to also face to the left like his father – thus breaking British tradition. He parted his hair on the right, and thought a left facing profile (making the part in his hair visible) looked better.
However, Edward VIII was not a well loved monarch even before his little fling with Wallis Simpson. He simply didn’t have that common touch, interfered quite a bit with the political realm. (The kings are suppose to be above the politics), had fascist leanings, (He apparently told Lord Kinross in the 1960s that he didn’t think “Hitler was a bad chap.”), and had a reputation for vanity, womanizing, and reckless behavior. The wanting to buck tradition and face the same way as his father on the coins of the realm due to pure vanity may have been something those who weren’t members of the Edward VIII’ Fan Club have come to believe.
George VI, the very next king, actually carefully considered which way his portrait should face on the British coins. He knew, because there were no coins under Edward VIII’s reign that his portrait could face to the right. However, he felt that would seem as if he didn’t recognize his brother’s short, but legitimate reign as ruler of the British realm.
Therefore, his father, King George V portrait faced to the left, his brother, King Edward VIII portrait should have faced to the right, and King George VI’s portrait – keeping up with tradition – faces to the left.
His daughter’s coins face to the right (keeping with tradition), and Prince Charles (if and when he becomes king) will face back to the left.
Interesting side note: If indeed Edward VIII did want his coins facing to the left, just like his father, and it was officially decided this would be the case, then George VI would have probably had his portrait to the right (keeping with tradition). This makes me believe that the coin controversy may have been something that came about after Edward VIII abdicated. Of course, no coins were minted, no designs (as far as I know) were ever produced.
I just checked the coins in my pocket, and not all of them are facing left or right. Some of them are looking up or down.
(bolding mine)
Don’t forget the Sacagawea dollar.
No, there were some pattern coins produced for Edward VIII, showing him facing to the left, same as his father. See the links I provided in post # 27.
Post facto, if you wish, but I don’t think ad hoc applies, since the mechanics of it would apply to any other situations where you have “flat sculpture” such as medals, medallions on walls and furniture… or are you considering all of them a single instance? Those are other cases where figures need to include as much information as possible in their edge, and where different types of figures have thus evolved through time in order to optimize edge-information. What you point out would be an example of process improvement.