The one unveiled in 2007 had seven finishes...satin gold, black nickel, antique bronze, polished gold with polished nickel wheel, antique silver with polished gold wheel, polished nickel with polished gold highlights (limited edition), and antique copper with polished nickel highlights (only one made). Though there is a lot of information out there on this geocoin series (check out www.compassrosegeocoin.com), I felt that there was even more to know, so I contacted the designer of the 2007 edition (the one I own) -- YemonYime. He was gracious enough to let me interview him to learn a bit more about the design, how it came to be and his impressions of the process.
Yemon Yime: After the success of the 2005 Pennsylvania Geocoin, Aaron from CoinsAndPins approached me to do some artwork for him, and we became pretty good friends from there. He would occasionally ask me to "touch up" some of his ideas, and we had a lot of fun experimenting with new enamels and metal combinations. In fact, the now popular translucent enamels were first used on the "Geo-Achievement" series, and eventually incorporated into the 2006 Compass Rose. The actual "compass rose" from that coin was based on real compass rose artwork from the 1500's, and I simply "re-drew" that to be workable for the mint to create an attractive geocoin. The Compass Rose series of geocoins was now quite popular, so when it came time to do the 2007 edition, Aaron once again found another 1500's compass rose and asked me to "enhance" it. Although I'm producing the final artwork for the coin, and constantly tweaking things here and there for maximum effect, Aaron is very involved in the design process as well. These are truly enjoyable collaborative efforts!
E: Information available about the coin states that the Yime-designed Compass Rose is "more visually exciting when minted as a metal image". Collectors will also notice that the back of the coin moved from the geocaching.com logo (on the 2006 design) to a ships wheel - could you discuss these two major elements, why they were chosen and how they impacted the design of the coin?
YY: Well, the actual artwork on those old maps utilized very limited colors because there wasn't exactly a variety of inks at the time. So, I took some liberties and added some depth to the design, and contrast to the colors. Aaron added some textures and glitter enamels to pull off a pretty attractive piece of metallic art! The ship's wheel was all Aaron's idea. It's got a natural "compass look" in and of itself, so I incorporated some altered "flourishes" from the back of the Geo-Achievement coins to give it a very "sea-worthy" feel. It all harkens back to the overall theme of navigation into the unknown.
E: What would you say was the most challenging part of the design process? Did you learn anything from your experience with the 2007 Compass Rose?
YY: Often for me, selecting the right colors is what makes the finished product that much more stunning. You have to keep in mind the brightness of the metal around (and sometimes behind) them. You can really pull off a unique effect if you're willing to take a chance. Either that, or order extra samples! With this project, I gained a much greater respect for how important effective communication with the mint is. There are intricacies in any design that go unnoticed by the mint's die artists unless you specifically point them out when submitting the art. CoinsAndPins does a great job in relaying that information, and the end product is always better for it.
E: Is there anything else that you would like to share about this coin (little known facts, your impression of it's success, etc.)?
YY: I'm truly honored to be a part of what's become a benchmark collectible within the geocoin hobby. I really believe that the success of the Compass Rose series is a testament to the appreciation of quality work in both the design, and the manufacturing. Collectors know that they're getting a well-thought out product that is intended to be above the norm. Well, it isn't exactly a "little known fact" that there will be a 2009 Compass Rose Geocoin...but I can tell you that preliminary ideas are for a real ground-breaker in design and production. You'll just have to wait and see what 2009 has in store!
My thanks to YemonYime for his perspective on this coin. There are so many different things to consider when creating a geocoin, whether it be a redesign on a classic or a brand new idea...it takes thought and an artistic eye. You can tell the Compass Rose has both. Looking forward to seeing the 2009 version!
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