Minting is a perfect example of where art meets science and technical expertise.
Masterfully designed coin artworks, created by skilled artists, are engraved into steel using a computer-controlled engraving machine to produce a reduction die.
The reduction die is then placed in a hydraulic press, where through high pressure, ranging from 100 to 400 tons, the design is transferred onto a softened steel block. This process results in a master die that contains a negative impression of the coin’s design.
The master die is then subjected to a hardening treatment and subsequently used to produce several negative dies, or working dies, intended for the actual coining process.
Once pressed, the minting dies are shaped, hardened, and sometimes plated to enhance durability. Depending on the type of coin being produced, a single set of minting dies can be used to strike millions of coins.
The minting industry relies on the precision and longevity of its tools and dies to sustain high production volumes. During the coining process, the workpiece is subjected to intense pressure, inducing plastic deformation on its surface to imprint the negative image onto the coin. Typically, two metallic dies strike the coin simultaneously, one for each side of the workpiece, ensuring sharp, detailed impressions with every strike.
Figure 1: A tool steel coining die (courtesy of Staatliche Münzen Baden-Württemberg)
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