So what happens before and after the coin is minted? (and a GTG!)

So as some of you may know, I've been collecting Peace Dollars for a while, and learning a lot over the last few years. This year I embarked on building an NGC registry set (I'm 3 away from complete!) and I'm learning a lot about the mints and how the presses worked, and a lot of the details of why certain coins are the way they are.

The question I'm unable to answer is this... Specifically for Peace Dollars, but I guess it would be similar for most coins minted around the same era.

What happened before and after the press? I'm trying to understand a bit more about toning, "blast white" surfaces and what happens to these things as they age.

We start with a blank planchet, do they get any sort of chemical or grease treatment? I have heard that HCI (Hydrocloric Acid) was used, but I'm not sure at what stage.

After it's minted, do they go straight into a bag? Did they go to a reviewing table? A chemical bath?

Ok, thanks for reading - and now the GTG!!!! I got this over the weekend at a local show. Actually I haven't got it in hand, I pick it up Wednesday night. But I've got the deal sealed and I'm STOKED! It's my Christmas present to me! (The pictures don't do it justice, but they will have to do until I get it in hand!)

 

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Cream of Tartar. It's all about that.

Really, these are interesting, if not challenging, questions. I've wondered at them, myself. Let's see what we, as a collective, know. We're about to find out. Hold onto that hat.

 

@Brett_in_Sacto
@eddiespin

Most of your answers about the minting process can be answered in Roger Burdette's book, From Mine to Mint which explains in great detail the procedures used for the period 1833-1937.

Brett, coincidentally, Roger is also the author of the Red Book of Peace Dollars.

Chris

 

Clean. Tough to tell by the dark pics but I'm going 66

 

Bless you sir.... Bless you! But not quite that good, although I may re-submit once it's in my hands.

 

I was gonna say 66....

 

@Brett_in_Sacto , RE the toning, have you seen this? Is an excerpt from Jason's (CT user name physics-fan3.14 ) book, great book BTW, but it explains the science behind toning.

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-science-of-toning.84670/

Beautiful Peace Dollar, I'd have said 66 as well, but it sounds like that's wrong

 

I believe planchets are washed before annealing. Seems like the heat from the annealing ovens and the strike should be enough to burn off the residue?

 

64

 

64

 

63-64

 

I think it might be a touch under graded, although there is the faintest bit of slight bag marks on the cheek that could hold it back by someone critical. But it's a spectacular coin regardless of grade.

Then again, aren't all of our coins under graded?

 

That was the answer I was expecting, and appreciate the confirmation. I did a bit more staring and oogling of the coin this morning.

I'm 99% sure it's a VAM2 - Doubled Rays in the Tiara which is an R5 on the rarity scale.

 

So the coins that go into UNC mints sets...are they processed differently out of the press? I would think in order to minimize contact with the coins, so they look as good as possible, that looking through thousands to find the nicest onse wold take too much time, so there must be a different handling protocol for the coins going into mint sets?

Doug,
All of your information above is great to have, is this kind of stuff found in the book "From Mine to Mint", or is this kind of information somewhere else. If this is all in your head from learned experience I think you should write a book. This kind of information is very interesting to me.

 

After annealing they are also washed and burnished to clean the oxides from the annealing off of them. They are dried and lightly oiled (to ease movement through he feeding equipment.) They are struck with dies that also have a thin film of oil on them. So all the coins coming from the press have an oil film on them.

 

As I recall the mint set coins are created on a different press altogether, with additional pressure, and yes are handled more carefully.

 

As far as I knew the uncirculated mint sets (not proofs which are) aren't minted in any different was as far as pressure or which presses.

 

Learn somethin' new every day. I didn't realize the process had changed. It explains the differences I see in these unc mint set coins going from the early 90's to the mid 90's.

The coins definitely are nicer in these sets, but I just assumed that was because the packaging was better. Starting in the mid 90's the packaging reverse is much harder, not playable at all and hard enough that the corners can scratch you. The obverse packaging, while thinner than the reverse, is without a doubt thicker than the earlier stuff. I just always assumed that thicker pack was the reason for the nicer condition of the coins, that and they've not be tossed around as much as the older packages.

I process a ton of these, its a sickness. I keep what I like and sell the rest of the P&D or PD&S pairs on ebay. As of this week I've cut apart probably 100 or so and have a ton more to do.

I appreciate you sharing what you know...if only we could hook up a printer to your brain...wait...second thought, it would scare the shiz outta me if I did that with my brain...better leave that alone.