Posts Tagged ‘coin production’
The 50 Day Countdown to the 50th Anniversary of Decimalisation has BEGUN!
The countdown has begun and in JUST 50 days, our decimal coinage will celebrate its 50th anniversary!
Join in with our celebrations!
To celebrate the anniversary of the biggest change our UK coinage has ever seen, we’ve launched a 50 Day Countdown until the Decimalisation Anniversary!
Every day, for 50 days, we’ll be posting different activities for you to read, watch and get involved in. We’ve got quizzes, giveaways and so much more planned, so make sure you’ve got your eyes peeled across all of our channels so that you can get involved!
The 50th anniversary of Decimal Day marks a significant change in our UK currency which changed the day to day lives of every British Citizen in the United Kingdom.
It was the subject of passionate debate for centuries, so during our 50 Day Countdown, we’ll be taking a closer look at the history and story behind the decimal changeover. To test your knowledge, we’ll even have some quizzes for you to get involved with!
So, will you be joining us on our Countdown?
Make sure you’ve subscribed to the Change Checker Podcast, our Youtube channel and you’ve followed us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to make sure you don’t miss out on some of the exciting prizes up for grabs!
If you have memories of the changeover, or have any interesting facts about Decimalisation, make sure you’re commenting below!
Secure the 14 coins which were affected by the decimal changeover with the Decimalisation Collector Page!
This collector page includes space to display the 14 coins which were affected by the decimal changeover on ‘D-Day’ in 1971 and makes for the perfect heirloom for any aspiring collector, or for those interested in the heritage of British coins.
Using secure push-fit blisters to display each coin in the collection, your collector page is also designed to fit neatly inside the Change Checker Album.
Secure yours for JUST £30.00 (+p&p) when you click here >>
The journey of a 50p coin – from striking to your pocket
Have you ever considered how a 50p coin makes its way from The Royal Mint into your change?
As we approach the 50th anniversary of the 50p, it seems only fitting to take a look at the journey of the 50p coin – from striking to your pocket – and the many processes along the way, even before the coin leaves the factory.
Discover the 5 key steps in the journey below:
I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s fascinating to think, each time you find a 50p coin in your change, that coin has been through all of these steps its journey to your pocket.
Which 50p coins do you have in your collection and have you been able to complete the Definitive 50p Collecting Challenge? Let us know in the comments below.
Have you joined the Definitive 50p Collecting Challenge?
The race is on to find and collect the definitive 50ps in your change in time for the 50th anniversary of the 50p!
How are coins made? The 5 stages of coin production
Have you ever wondered how the coins in your change are made?
From the drawing board to your pocket, there’s a lot that goes into the production of UK coins, and so we’ve put together a 5 stage infographic to break it down for you…
1) Designing
First, The Royal Mint’s marketing team look at possible themes and develop a brief for the designer. They work with internal artists, graphic designers and external artists such as competition winners.
The designer sketches a concept either by hand or on a computer and this is sent to The Royal Mint Advisory Committee for feedback and approval.
The final stage in design is to send the coin to the Queen for final sign off of the design.
It was actually revealed recently that the Queen took a particular liking to the 2019 Stephen Hawking 50p, which has proven to be a big success and a hugely popular design this year.
2) Moulding and Engraving the Master Die
Designs are transferred and sculpted onto a plaster mould 5 times the size of the coin.
This model will be scanned and stored as a digital image to be used by an engraving machine.
The transfer-engraver reproduces the design onto a master die the same diameter as the coin to be struck.
This will be used to make the dies that will actually strike the coins.
3) Blanking
Sheets of metal are pressed into the exact thickness of the coin required and then rolled into coils.
These huge coiled strips of metal are then cut into the correct shapes by blanking presses.
The presses punch out blank discs with a pressure of around 60 tonnes, creating coins at a speed of 850 strikes per minute!
The blanks are checked before being annealed and blanched to create a lustre suitable for coining.
4) Striking
To transfer the design onto the blanks to be struck, the coin blank is pressed between two dies using a hydraulic press.
The variable pressure of the press is up to hundreds of pounds per square inch.
This forms the shape and design of the finished coin, striking up to 25,000 coins every hour!
5) Inspecting, Sorting and Bagging
The final stage involves checking the coins for imperfections and sorting them into the correct denominations or designs.
They are wrapped and stacked in bags to be stored in ‘the long room’, ready for despatch.
The Royal Mint and cash distribution services regularly review the amount of coins in circulation and it’s only when they are short of a particular denomination that stocks will be called from The Royal Mint, and these coins will be issued into circulation, ready and waiting to be found in your change!
I don’t know about you, but the next time I check my change I’ll certainly be considering the journey the coins have been through to end up in my purse and the incredible production process that goes into creating UK coins.
If you’re interested in coin collecting, our Change Checker web app is completely free to use and allows users to:
– Find and identify the coins in their pocket
– Collect and track the coins they have
– Swap their spare coins with other Change Checkers
Sign up today at: www.changechecker.org/app