YAMAN: History and Heritage in Philippine Money
Archival documentation and photography of centuries of Philippine currency and cultural wealth.
- Client
- Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
- Industry
- Central Banking & Cultural Heritage
- Services
Heritage Publication Design
Editorial Direction
Archival Photography Art Direction
Research & Manuscript Development
Print Production Management
- Awards & Recognition
Silver Award — Graphis Design Annual 2022
Finalist — 39th National Book Awards
The Brief
Challenge
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas holds one of Southeast Asia's most significant numismatic collections. The challenge was to create a publication worthy of that collection — rigorous enough for scholars, yet accessible enough to move a general reader unfamiliar with monetary history.
Approach
We treated each artifact — coin, banknote, or medal — as a subject worthy of portraiture. The editorial approach drew from museum exhibition design: give each object the space and light it deserves, and let the typography recede in service of the object.
Design Solution
Meticulous macro photography, commissioned specifically for YAMAN, forms the visual backbone of the volume. A two-column grid provides scholarly structure while large, full-bleed spreads create moments of genuine visual surprise. The palette draws from aged paper, gold leaf, and deep institutional blue.
The Work
YAMAN required both rigor and reverence — a scholarly record of Philippine money that could also move a general reader.
We treated each artifact as a subject worthy of portraiture, pairing meticulous macro photography with intentional typography and generous white space.
The volume celebrates identity, memory, and living heritage — a permanent form for a national story.
Gallery
Outcome
YAMAN was presented to international delegates at the BSP's annual numismatic conference and distributed to partner institutions across Asia-Pacific. It is now part of several national library collections and is cited as a reference standard for Philippine heritage publications.
