Revolutionizing Coin Circulation with Mobile Collection Carts

Oval Design Ltd's Innovative Solution to Coin Shortage in Active Circulation

The Coin Collection Cart, the first of its kind globally, is a 10-tonne vehicle equipped with automatic coin counting machines. This innovative design offers free coin deposit or exchange services to the community in various districts. The cart, which can run on external power supply or a power generator, is tailored-made into customer area and highly secured area in compliance with bank security infrastructure. It also allows ample natural light for energy saving.

Customers can deposit their spare coins without the need to sort them by denomination beforehand. The coin counting machines can count coins of mixed denominations together. Upon customer confirmation, a receipt is issued. The cart also caters to the needs of the physically challenged with an installed electrical wheelchair lift.

The Coin Collection Cart project, which started in October 2014, has served over 300 locations in various districts around Hong Kong. The two carts have completed 13 cycles of serving the 18 districts as of March 19, 2017. They have carried out 283,000 transactions, collecting 239 million coins with a total face value of HKD 294 million. The collected coins are re-circulated to meet the demand. Furthermore, HKD 128,500 was donated to charity from Community Chest donation boxes in the carts by the end of 2016.

This innovative design by Oval Design Ltd has not only provided a solution to the challenge of coin shortage in active circulation but has also promoted environmental friendliness. The project encourages the public to channel back rarely used coins into the circulation system, thereby minimizing the effort of minting new coins. The carts also incorporate elements of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as citizens can donate small change to charity.

The Coin Collection Cart design was awarded Silver in A' Social Design Award in 2018. This prestigious award is rewarded to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.