Royal Dutch Mint Brings a Smiley to the Season
The Smiley Company, creators of the original “smiley,” is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022 by issuing a special medal in coin card style packaging through the Royal Dutch Mint. The…
The Smiley Company, creators of the original "smiley," is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022 by issuing a special medal in coin card style packaging through the Royal Dutch Mint. The medal features the Smiley face, anniversary dates of 1972-2022 and a representative design of the act of charitable giving.
This medal resides at the heart of the Smiley Movement and has been created to help fund a food box distribution project for Christmas 2021. All proceeds from the sales of the 50th Anniversary Smiley medal will go to the Foodbank Amsterdam to fund this charitable program.
This is a wonderful way to help those in need after the truly rough two years we have all struggled through, so if you can afford to, we highly encourage you to participate. As the motto of this program says, “Get a smiley, give a smile!”
More than a million people in the Netherlands live below the poverty level. They often do not have enough money to put food on the table for their families. The Foodbank Amsterdam provides approximately 1900 families with food boxes every week.
Every 50th Anniversary Smiley medal sold equals a food box and 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Foodbank Amsterdam to further their work in providing for those in need. The recipients can not only prepare a tasty meal during Christmas, but also in the days around Christmas! This way, those who do not have much money to spend can still enjoy the holidays along with those who have helped.
The Smiley movement was born in 1972, to spread feel-good news. The Smiley would go on to become one of the most important icons in graphic design, bringing people together through a creative message that spreads positivity. Its focus on social and emotional awareness has helped to advance us as a society.
The Smiley medals simple message of “Take the Time to Smile” derives from its origin in 1972, but remains extremely relevant today, 50 years on. Particularly through our hardships shared during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Smiley Movement is the nonprofit community interest company sponsored by the original SmileyⓇbrand. It was founded in 2017 to help connect those who are looking for opportunities to give back with charitable causes seeking that kind of support. Their vision is to inspire positive change in society by creating a happier, more equal and sustainable world.
The obverse design of the 50th Anniversary Smiley medal features the Smiley Company slogan, “Take the Time to Smile!” and an array of happy Smiley’s. The reverse offers a hand holding the Foodbank Amsterdam logo reaching towards an open hand over a base of Smiley’s. This symbolizes the food box that is donated, giving the recipient a smile.
At just under $10 the coin card Smiley 50th anniversary coin launched this past weekend on October 16. It is struck in copper-nickel to a brilliant uncirculated finish, at 15.5 grams with a diameter of 33 millimeters. The mintage is set at 12,000 pieces, which we hope will allow for a significant impact on the work of the charitable Foodbank Amsterdam this Christmas.
