What Part Of A Coin Is Struck First?

Do they strike the obverse or reverse first? I'd really like to know about the Silver Eagles. Anybody know? Thanks!

 

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They are struck at the same time, 2 dies come together on a planchet.

 

Thats cool. So there is no way to really tell which side of a coin was rotated in the case of a rotated die error.

 

Theoretically correct... but the upper die is hard-fixed in the press ram, while the lower die "floats" in the collar with a sub-press ejection system that raises and lowers the die, ejecting the struck coin from the collar. The lower die is generally held in orientation by a pin so it slides up and down... but if the pin breaks or becomes worn, the lower die is able to rotate freely without stopping the press. In movies I have seen of US mint operations it appears that the obverse die is generally fixed as the upper. Therefore... it's far more likely that the lower (reverse) die rotated than the upper.

 

Tom, that is some great information. I really appreciate that. I love learning about this stuff!

Do you work at a Mint facility? I notice your signature says Mintmaster, just curious.

 

Nick66,Tom is the owner of a private mint that strikes a lot of art medals & some fantasy 'coins' of fictional places that are mentioned in books such as J.R.R. Tolkein's 'Lord of the Rings'.

Striking of a medal is done in the same way as for striking a coin,but the edge inscription,as on the Presidential $1 coins,is done using a special collar attached to the outside of one of the dies.

Aidan.

 

The outside.

 

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that the edge lettering on the Presidential $1 coins was done in a separate process (after the coins are struck), which is why the lettering is not always in the same orientation.

 

Yes, you are correct cwtokenman, the edge inscriptions are done AFTER the Presidential coins are struck.

 

The collar with the edge inscription is attached to the outside of the die,but because the coins are mass produced there is no time to arrange it to align it with the position of the reverse die,hence the random arrangement of the inscription & its alignment in relation to the reverse.

Aidan.

 

Wrong---the letting is put on the coin AFTER it is struck...and it isn't part of the collor.

Speedy

 

Speedy is correct.

 

:thumb: Speedy.

 

Seperate process. Thats why some are letters up and some are down and probably why so many "missing lettering" errors are being found.