Format is about physical form rather than subject. A shaped coin breaks the round convention entirely, struck as a helmet, a map or a character silhouette. A silver foil note applies the same imagery to a banknote shaped sheet. A graded piece arrives sealed in a tamper evident holder.

Shaped issues are the largest group in this catalogue. They are harder to strike than a round coin and are usually made in smaller numbers as a result, so mintages are not directly comparable between formats.