Crossposted at Dailykos.com Throughout their history, coins have been made using the same basic processes; only the technology to apply these processes has improved. Basically, there are the following steps: design, die making, blank preparation, actual coining, and inspection. In the first coins, dies were engraved by hand, often by the designer. A blank (a [...]
Continue reading about A Primer on US Coins #7: How Coins are Made
Crossposted at Dailykos.com “The only bad coin is one I don’t have” (Translator, 2008). Actually, that is not really true. There are good and bad coins. The properties that constitute “goodness” differ depending on whether a coin is intended for circulation or for commemorative or bullion use. However, some of these characteristics are common to [...]
Continue reading about A Primer on US Coins #6: Good and Bad Coins
Crossposted at Dailykos.com I decided to post this today even though the debate is coming up because of a new development in gold. I have been working on this off and on for several days (one does not just sit and type this kind of detail), but today the Mint announced that is has suspended [...]
Continue reading about The US Mint Ran out of Gold Today (part 4 of a series)
Crossposted at Dailykos.com Last time we were beginning to enter the “modern” era of US coinage. We shall complete that transition this time, and put us into the early modern era, which I define as until 1933. Next time we shall try to get to the present. Even though coin design is similar to the [...]
Continue reading about A Primer on United States Coins, Part 3
Crossposted at Dailykos.com This time we will talk a little more history, then about the alloys used in coins, past and present. Last time we discussed the problem with using both gold and silver for coins, and numerous attempts were taken to address that.
Continue reading about A Primer on United States Coins, Part 2
Crossposted at Dailykos.com Next Sunday, Pique the Geek goes back to a more science and technology oriented format. However, there seemed to be a decent amount of interest in coins, so I will write occasional pieces on that topic. We will begin by discussing how coins were and are made, and the locations where they [...]
Continue reading about A Primer on United States Coins, Part 1.5