Minting in the 17th Century

[regandon]

Roller Presses of the 17th century

   If your new to world coin collecting, and have wondered why some of the coinage from the 1600’s look to have a slight bend in them, and also be wondering why some of those coins bring high prices.
Well, it was do to the design of the minting press and the dies used in the minting of those coins. Just visualize a flat piece of metal being pushed through two rolling pins that are going to be exerting a lot of pressure on that piece of metal. On these rolling pins are the dies used in the minting of the coinage. There were a few different types of roller die mint presses. One type used rollers that had dies all the way around it, and another type of roller press used a single obverse and reverse die on the rollers. Take a look at the pics of the rollers and dies used.

pic 1) this is a roller die with dies all the way around the rollers.
pic2) this is a milling press that would flatten out the strip of silver before be put into the minting press

pic 3) this is a different type of roller die in which  only one obverse die and one reverse die is used on the roller.
pic 4) this is the minting press which used a single obv. and a single rev. die.

Pic 5) this die shows how much of a bend a coin could have.
Pic 6) click to make this pic bigger. This is a roller press

[regandon]

For a better understanding go this link : http://www.segoviamint.org/english/technology.htm

[coinsarefun]

What a very cool and informative post regandon. I have heard of it but never seen images
to put the description too........Thanks!!

[FilthyBroke]

I haven't heard of this technique before.  I tried to read the link that you posted, but my translator was playing some funky tricks with the text, so I'll ask you a few questions.

Is there a way to tell if a coin was rolled rather than pressed?

How widespread was the usage of this type of machine?  I read a little over on the link that it was in operation throughout Europe, but I wonder to what extent?

Oh, and these were strips rolled through at one long run, right?  I wonder how they were then cut and seperated?

The process reminds me of the elongated penny machines  that are still used.  But when one is run through, it's...well, elongated.  I wonder how this is avoided.  Less pressure maybe?

(sorry for all the questions, but it's an interesting puzzle)

[regandon]

Is there a way to tell if a coin was rolled rather than pressed?

The coin will have a slight bend (thick pieces) or wavy look to it (thin pieces) depending on the thickness of the strip of metal.


How widespread was the usage of this type of machine?

By 1585 there were 13 known mints using this type of minting. Mints were in use in Germany, England, France, Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Switzerland and Poland. There were smaller mints also during this time. I guess you could them branch mints, as these mints had to get the ok by the Emperor to mint coinage.


Oh, and these were strips rolled through at one long run, right? I wonder how they were then cut and seperated?

There were trimming or punch machines. (I’ve included a pic of a punch press) The mint master would use shears to trim off any metal that trimming machines or punch press may not of remove. Also of note. When the mint warden would weigh the coins, if any coin was over weight, a file would be used to bring the weight of what the coin should be. When you see a coin with these file marks, it is call adjustment marks. It was a very common practice at that time. 


The process reminds me of the elongated penny machines that are still used. But when one is run through, it's...well, elongated. I wonder how this is avoided. Less pressure maybe?

The metal strip being used was flatten out to different thicknesses depending on what the coin was to weigh. These strips were also flatten out using a roller press. More pressure, the thinner the strip. The process would take a while as the pressure on the rollers had to be changed many times to get the strip to the thickness it needed to be. After the thickness of the strip was set, the hardest part in the minting process was over. All that needed to be done for the die press, was the set enough pressure to mint the blank.
Pic #1 is of a puch press used to punch the coin out of the strip.

[Larry]

Very cool exhibits, Regandon.  Thanks.

Similar equipment would later be used to perform planchet cutting and striking.
But that would be in the 18th Century I suppose.

But see the similarities to later coin presses?  Cool.  : )

[Deagle74]

Cool, cool, cool - thx 4 sharing Regandon.

Rok

[FilthyBroke]

Thanks for the answers, Don.  And of couse thanks for the great pictures.  I'm learning new stuff every day!

[JRocco]

This is an extremely cool thread that I read about 6 times now.
And I am sure I'll be back.

[Zohar444]

regandon great overview which you cant get in any single book.

Now we need to get a few of these dies