I was watching a few episodes of Pawn Stars. Rick has in several episodes on Ancients that they stuck the coins with 5 foot hammers. I can not find anything on this. From all I have found it shows maybe a normal mallet or hammer or a bit longer but I have found nothing on 5 foot hammers. It just does not make sense to me as control would be 10x harder. Thanks for any answers.
Wow, that does sound excessive. The planchets were typically heated I believe, so there shouldn't have been a need for that much striking force.
That is what I thought. 5 feet is long enough to make it very difficult to control. A heavier hammer on a shorter handle would give more control and the same force as a 5 foot one. I just don't see any advantage to it.
I feel like you could get more force with the five foot hammer, and someone accustomed to striking all day could be quite accurate. Like chopping logs. But I’ve never read about hammer size one way or another.
Watch those gandy dancers that drive railroad spikes all day how difficult it is. The head of the hammer goes where it was trained to go. Pawn Stars is scripted and choreographed for sensationalism.
I think a five foot hammer swung hard enough to make a coin explains why so many ancient coins were struck off centered. Lol
I watched a guy mutilate his chin, a 12 pnd hammer can do a lot of damage, seems excessive for a coin.
some coins showing hammer, tongs and anvil. T. Carisius. 46 BC. AR Denarius. Head of Juno right / Minting implements, all within wreath: wreathed cap of Vulcan above moneyer’s anvil between tongs and hammer. Valerian I AR Antoninianus. Colonia Agrippinensis, AD 253-260. VALERIANVS P F AVG, radiate and draped bust right / DEO VOLCANO, Vulcan standing left holding hammer and tongs in tetrastyle temple, anvil at his feet. RIC 5
I'm not even sure that it's a correct depiction either. You would lose your fingers trying to cut out the shapes and hand forming sheet...
