Really Understanding The Minting Process - Resources?

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CozyCoin Valued Member United States 71 Posts	Posted 06/12/2023 3:35 pm Does anybody here have any recommendations on understanding the minting process? While there are some things that are fairly easy to remember such as a planchet being a blank disc before getting the designs put on, I don't really know anything about the process and materials. What I'm saying is, I don't know anything about science, machinery, whatever else it entails. I've seen/read some things explaining it, but it doesn't really explain it to somebody who doesn't know any of the technical knowledge. I don't know what an alloy is, what copper is (except it being what coins are made of including the penny). Even if it was like being taught how to drive a car, which you don't need to be an engineer to understand how to, I'm not a mint worker who's up close and personal. For example, I know a die contains the design that will be struck on a die, but I want to know what a die is. I want to know what a hub is. I want to 100% understand the difference between Machine Doubling and double dies. One of the reasons why I want to at least to have solid knowledge of this is because I want to understand errors and varieties. I want to know what a strike through is. I want to know what a die break is. I don't want to be in the ballpark of what a coin might have. I want to be confident in what it probably is, if not know exactly what it is. I understand even experienced people ask questions, so I'm not saying I'll be a professional grader's level yet. I want to sell some of my finds soon, but I want to make sure I understand what I'm selling. Of course I can ask here and other places online for help, but I want to know a good amount. It'd also help me identify things much easier when coin roll hunting whether I find actual errors or not. I also like keeping coins for my own collection. Does anybody here have any technical background on this stuff? Do you think a lot of people in this hobby actually know what they're talking about? If I ever want to go deep into the science of things, what would you recommend? Any resources that are easy to understand is welcome! Books, videos, etc. Thanks in advance. Edited by CozyCoin 06/12/2023 3:37 pm Report this Post to the Staff

ijn1944 Bedrock of the Community United States 19288 Posts	Posted 06/12/2023 3:54 pm If you haven't seen, check the official videos of the US Mint. Scattered in there are a few which feature production methods/techniques. These provide a good start. https://www.youtube.com/@USMINT/videos Report this Post to the Staff
publius Pillar of the Community United States 807 Posts	Posted 06/12/2023 5:04 pm Find a copy of a book entitled Coinmaking by Denis Cooper, formerly chief engineer of The Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Wales. If you can't lay your hands on that, the Internet will afford you copies of 19th-century works such as The Royal Mint by G.F. Ansell, which gives extensive information on the technical practices of the time, and the annual reports of The Royal Mint and the US Mint, which contain some information of a technical nature. Report this Post to the Staff
Dearborn Moderator United States 99460 Posts	Posted 06/12/2023 7:56 pm Both resources above are great. You can also search out Coop's topics - he has lots of links to help you out. Collecting since 1972. Learning from then on "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin 7070 type set coin count: 51/76 Uncirculated American Silver Eagles My American Silver Eagle Proof Collection Sacagawea Dollars Innovation Dollars Eisenhower-Dollars Kennedy-Half Dollars Washington-Quarters Roosevelt-Dimes Buffalo-Nickels 1938-2005 Jefferson-Nickels Lincoln-Cents Report this Post to the Staff
BStrauss3 Pillar of the Community United States 4605 Posts	Posted 06/12/2023 8:08 pm The canonical books are From Mine to Mint by Roger W. Burdette, ISBN: 9780976898672 Publication Date: March 20, 2013 From Mine to Mint examines the technology, equipment and operations of the United States Mints from opening of the second Philadelphia Mint in 1833 to the institution of operational reforms in 1937. In depth text and illustrations explain press operation, refining, ingot preparation, striking, counting, shipping and a host of other mint operations and the equipment used to perform them. From Mine to Mint also includes previously unknown accounts of gold adjustment as well as the gradual evolution of key pieces of machinery. The first uses of steam powered presses are explained, and the evolution from steam and coal to electricity and natural gas is described along with the impact on coinage. Also included are descriptions, photos and floor plans of U.S. Mints and assay offices and descriptions of their operations. From some things he's posted, Roger is working on a second book, not a sequel and not a 2nd edition - it will cover some more modern stuff and well as a lot of learnings about the older world. Wizard has it for $40. The art and craft of coinmaking: A history of minting technology - by Denis R. Cooper, ISBN: 9780907605270 A history of the technology of minting coins from antiquity to modern times. Color frontispiece, foreword by Philip Grierson, author's note, introduction, acknowledgments, technical glossary, five appendices, index of people and places. Notes by Henry Morris, portion of an article from The Numismatist August 1967 , and three photographs laid in. Color and black and white illustrations throughout. A scarce work. viii, 264 pages. illustrated paper-covered boards. 4to.. Were you to find a copy, it would run you four Benjamins. Or more... -----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ Report this Post to the Staff
westcoin Pillar of the Community United States 9796 Posts	Posted 06/14/2023 5:58 pm Quote: From Mine to Mint by Roger W. Burdette, ISBN: 9780976898672 A really good book, which comes with a DVD and a PDF file of the text for easy research and searching later. Roger is a fantastic author/researcher and uses easy to understand language to make difficult processes easy to understand for the layman. A great review on it here at the Numismatic Bibliomania Society - https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v16n17a06.html "Mint Errors to Die For" by Joe Cronin is also a good book though it covers only error coins it tries to describe how in the minting process a particular error is created. This is an important concept to understand in that relationship. A newer 2nd edition is now out here is a review: https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylu...4n39a04.html To really understand errors and varieties it is important to study all minting processes of various times and eras. Something made in the late 1700's will be made with completely different technologies than something made last week, so a solid understanding of each era of minting is necessary. I generally split them by pre steam and post steam powered machines. 1800 is a good point where things in the minting world really changed. An older and now out of print book is "The modern minting process and U.S. minting errors and varieties" From the ANA correspondence course by James Wiles can still be found occasionally online - ebay, Abebooks, Amazon, etc. Whitman has one in their line up as well by the illustrious author Q. David Bowers "A Guide Book of the United States Mint" it is part of the RedBook series. https://whitman.com/a-guide-book-of...states-mint/ Don't forget online sources like the Newman Numismatic Portal lots of free books and other information can be found there. https://nnp.wustl.edu/ And of course all the regular associations and societies The ANA - https://www.money.org/ ANS - https://numismatics.org/ British Numismatic Society - https://www.britnumsoc.org/ Royal Canadian Numismatic Association https://www.rcna.ca/ CONECA (Errors) - https://conecaonline.org/ "Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin" - Aaron R. Feldman - "And read it" - Me 2013! ANA Life Member #3288 in good standing since 1981, ANS, Early American Coppers Member (EAC), Colonial Coin Collectors Club member (C4), Conder Token Collector Club member (CTCC), Civil War Token Society (CWTS) member, Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC) & Numismatic Bibliomania Society member (NBS), USMex, Member in good standing, 2¢ variety collector. See my want page: http://goccf.com/t/140440 Edited by westcoin 06/14/2023 5:59 pm Report this Post to the Staff
CozyCoin Valued Member United States 71 Posts	Posted 06/14/2023 7:48 pm Thank you so much everybody! I will get on these as soon as I can! Report this Post to the Staff
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