Question on Minting Process

Hi everyone. I’ve got a question regarding the striking of coins. While I know what dies look like, I’ve never seen the striking process. Sure, I’ve got a “conceptual” understanding of what goes on. But still, it would be nice to actually see a video of it. What kind of mechanisms are the dies attached to? How do the planchets come sliding in? What holds them in place when they’re struck? Are both sides struck simultaneously? How do they get the edge letterings to go on? Lots of questions. I’ve seen so many videos from the U.S. Mint but – ironically – the most interesting part of the minting process is never shown! Or maybe it’s me – I can’t find it. It would be nice to “see” what actually happens during striking. If there are no videos, even a diagrammatic representation would be good.




In the U.S. Mint’s videos, I see these machines appear at the point they talk about coins being struck.



But I don’t know what I’m looking at. In the video, ths machine vibrates back-and-forth very quickly. Where are the dies? Where are the planchets? (These are screen captures of the Mint’s videos.)

If you have a link or photos or diagrams that you can share with me, I’d really like to read up on it. I want to see the details of how the dies are held in place when the planchets are struck. That would help me to also understand (i.e. visualize) how mechanical doubling takes place. But that's an assignment for the next long weekend. I also want to see the “collars” that I’ve read about so many times here.

As always, thanks everyone.

 

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I found this video particularly interesting: (CoinWeek IQ: How Gold Coins Are Made: Spotlight on the Vienna Philharmonic Gold Coin)

I found it to interesting. It may fill few gaps for you, albeit: not specifically the U.S. Mint.

 

Thanks Sal, yeah, I've seen this before. It doesn't show me what I want to see. Thanks anyway. Appreciate it.

 

What part are you looking for ?

 

I don't know what specifically you are looking for but if you start the below link at around 2:20 it explains the process.

 

I really wanted to see how the dies are held, how the planchets come in to be struck, the actual striking, and how the collars fit into it all.

 

I 'm not sure . There are some processes that can't be filmed for obvious reasons . No ?

 

Yeah, I thought about that too. Not just regarding secrecy purposes, but maybe the space is too tight to get a camera in there. In such a case, maybe a diagram would help. That's why I'm frustrated. I can't even find any diagram of the striking process and the parts and machines involved.

 

Welcome to the US Govt. and it's secrecy

 

Thanks all for the videos, I'll check them out. I'm mainly interested to see how the dies are held when the planchets are struck and how collars come into play in the whole process.

 

I think that's done in a very small and tight area. In short, may not be visible but maybe it is, idk. There's certainly more people here that know about the process more than I do! Hopefully someone will chime in!

 

I hope so. Thanks. If spatial constraints can't accommodate photography, I'd settle for diagrams. That'll work too. I know that the machine that appears in the two photos I posted initially, is directly relevant to the striking process, because that machine also appears in the video @SensibleSal66 posted. But I don't know enough to make heads or tails out of it.

 

You might want to consider getting Roger Burdett'es From Mine To Mint.

 

This article is a bit short on the imagery you seek, but the explanation is good
https://www.fleur-de-coin.com/articles/coin-striking

 

awesome share very informative

 

Thanks very much! Appreciate the thorough (as always) explanation. Now I just need a backstage pass to the Mint to see it in real life.

 

I wish a Mint would let the public see the process up front so we could understand it better.

 

I always assumed that striking takes place vertically, up and down. So in reality, the hammer die hits the anvil die horizontally.