Grades K–2 · Everyday Life
How does a coin get its raised picture?
A new coin starts as a plain metal disc called a blank. A powerful press squeezes it between two hard tools called dies. Their shapes press a design into each face of the metal.
The picture is not usually painted on. Metal moves into the tiny spaces in the dies when the press squeezes very hard. A hollow part of a die can make a raised part of the coin. The metal stays solid while its shape changes.
The cut-open upper die has a hollow detail. The lower coin has a raised detail in the corresponding place.
A ring around the blank helps control its edge. The two dies can give the coin a different picture on each side. When they separate, the new design remains because the metal does not spring all the way back to its old shape.
Many coins can receive the same design from the same tools. The small picture in your pocket is a record of a very strong squeeze.
About this explanation
This simplified cross-section shows how a raised detail forms, not a full coin design or every minting step.
Starting knowledge: Understand that pressing a material can leave a lasting shape.
Sources
- The Royal Mint — From Blank to Bank