Mysterious coins have been appearing all around Manchester and here’s why

Mancunians may have come across some unusual coins placed on benches, bus stops and ledges across the city and here’s why.

Artist Ryan Gander has placed 200,000 coins across the city for his latest art project called The Find as part of Manchester International Arts Festival running from June 29th – July 16th.

“My mum has this saying, ‘there’s no pockets in the shroud’,” Gander told the Manchester Evening News.

“She’s like some middle class suburban Buddhist, and means I’m not going to get any inheritance, probably — but she’s got a point.”

He continued: “We understand the world by stuff. Things, articles, objects and we always want more, more, more.

“Actually, we should be understanding the world by events and conversations and moments — things that we can take with us.”

The strange coins are valueless in monetary terms and can not be spent but contain a lot of value in the sense that they provoke thought. Finders can be keepers of the coins if they wish, or they can put them back for someone else to find.

They display messages which offer a choice on either side of each coin; together or solo, action or pause, and speak or listen.

Around 100 volunteers have been out around the city placing the coins in places for people to find them including benches, at bus stops, and on window ledges.

But some honest Mancunians have been handing the coins back to community support officers and at Central Library. Gander says: “People are so honest.

“Very honest Mancunians. It’s quite weird. There are very few things in the world that are a gift, so to give a gift to a third of the population of a city, it’s a remarkable thing.

“People take different things from it. I’ve met people already who carry all three in their pockets and say they’re going to carry them for life and use them.”

He added: “There are two audiences really, there is the audience that know about the festival, and about my work on the hunt to get collectable art works, but then theres’ the 99% who are people who don’t know they are engaging with contemporary art.”

Gander, who is originally from Chester was awarded an OBE for his services to contemporary art back in 2017.

He says he’s quite aware that contemporary art can still be quite an ‘incredibly elitist’ space and so that’s where his work comes in. 

He said: “People engage with the coins, by chance, outside of the institution of art, and by the time that they’re engaged and they’re doing it, it’s only then that they realise it’s contemporary art, and the stigma disappears. It’s accessible, and it’s a good way in. People have their guard down.”

Gander is hoping his display of public contemporary art will help people make changes in their lives rather than make a habit of repetition, saying: “We automatically make decisions, but based on habit.

“We should be asking ourselves questions every day, even if we know the answers, because the world changes all around us, and the answers change. So most of our answers are wrong.

“The coins are a reminder that we can learn and explore and live a little bit differently, but mostly just break the repetition that we all live by.

“Walk the long way to work, eat something different for lunch, talk to someone you’ve never spoken to. I’m at fault with all those things too.”

Adding: “But I know when I make decisions which are out of habit and out of character, it mega mega mega enriches my life.”

The Find is currently taking place across the city as part of Manchester International Arts Festival. Have you found any of Ryan Gander’s coins?