The Royal Dutch Mint has created the world’s first QR coded coins to mark the 100th anniversary of the Mint. In fact, two coins will be produced by the Mint – one gold and one silver – and both with feature QR codes. The coins will be released for circulation on June 22nd. Whether or not the coins will receive a limited release is not yet known, but the Dutch Government has said that everyone will get a chance to scan the codes found on the coins.
As of now, the QR codes resolve to the Mint’s website, which is not optimized to be viewed via a mobile device. This seemingly small oversight may prove to be a pitfall for the Mint, as there are complaints regarding the fact that the site is difficult to view with a smart phone.
Marketers and tech-specialists have been keen to warn anyone using QR codes to make sure they know what they are doing. A code can be plastered on just about anything, but if what it links to does not provide mobile consumers with a pleasant experience, they are likely to never bother with that code again. While the Mint may appear to be guilty of this shortfall, officials have said that there will be more content linked to the codes by the time they are released to the public.
The Mint’s adoption of QR codes for use with currency may inspire other National Mints to follow suit.
