The UFO MP-1766 is a special coin that can float in the air, made by Mennica Polska, the Polish Mint, for the Cameroon National Bank. It’s called “UFO” because it looks like a flying saucer and can rotate slowly, and “MP-1766” because it’s based on the founding date of the Polish Mint and its value in Cameroonian francs.
Even though it’s worth about $2.91 in Cameroon, it’s actually more valuable because it’s rare and limited to only 510 coins worldwide. People can buy it for over $1,000, and it was shown for the first time at a Technical Forum in Berlin. It will be available to buy in the spring.
The idea to make a floating coin came from ?ukasz Karda and his team at Mennica Polska. They used a small motor and a special base with magnets to make the coin float and spin. The coin also glows in the dark, which makes it even cooler.
“We wondered what to surprise the participants of the Technical Forum with this time…,” ?ukasz 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 usually makes coins for Poland, but they partnered with the Bank of Cameroon to make this coin legal tender there. They can’t just make any coin legal money; only central banks like Cameroon’s have that power. So, by partnering with a “exotic” bank like Cameroon’s, they could make the UFO MP-1766 official money.
Overall, the UFO MP-1766 is a unique coin that can float and spin like a UFO, made by Mennica Polska for the Bank of Cameroon. It’s rare, valuable, and looks really cool with its glowing elements. And even though it’s a special coin, it’s still official money in Cameroon.
“We cannot simply create a coin that goes into official circulation, because only central banks have the right to issue money,” ?ukasz Karda said. “Therefore, there is a business model of getting in touch with somewhat exotic foreign banks, in this case the Bank of Cameroon.”
