Moses Cotsworth was a true Victorian polymath. Although his major passion was calendar reform he also formulated plans for a single decimal currency for the British Empire. In 1932 he wrote that: “The complicated English coinage of 20 shillings to the pound, 12 pence to the shilling and 4 farthings to the penny wastes time and energy. It is a handicap to Empire trade and education”. He proposed 5 and 10 cent nickel coins and 1, 2 and 4 cent bronze coins.
With his usual thoroughness he also designed the coins’ motifs: “The King’s head on the front side is intended to typify Great Britain and the Empire… The rounded square shape seems the best frame to blend the Dominion emblems into an attractive picture of the most impressive parts of the Empire… Australia, Canada, India and South Africa [with their respective images: kangaroo, buffalo, elephant and springbok] on the front side of the coins. For the reverse sides are shown the lesser group as Newfoundland, New Zealand, the East and West Indies”.
