Hammered coinage
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Hammered coinage was the most common form of coins produced from the invention of coins in the first millennium BC until the early modern period of c. the 15th–17th centuries, contrasting to the cast coinage and the later developed milled coinage.
History
Hammered coins were produced by placing a blank piece of metal (a
In later history, in order to increase the production of coins, hammered coins were sometimes produced from strips of metal of the correct thickness, from which the coins were subsequently cut out. Both methods of producing hammered coins meant that it was difficult to produce coins of a regular diameter. Coins were liable to suffer from "
Coins were also vulnerable to "sweating", which is when silver coins would be placed in a bag that would be vigorously shaken. This would produce silver dust, which could later be removed from the bag.
Milled coins
The ability to fashion coins from machines (milled coins) caused hammered coins to become gradually obsolete during the 17th century. They were still made in Venice until the 1770s. France became the first country to adopt a full machine-made coin in 1643.
In England, the first non-hammered coins were produced in the reign of Queen
Cast coins
An alternative method of producing early coins, particularly found in Asia, especially in China, was to cast coins using molds. This method of coin production continued in China into the nineteenth century. Up to a couple of dozen coins could be produced at one time from a single mold, when a 'tree' of coins (which often contained features such as a square hole in the center) would be produced and the individual coins (called cash) would then be broken off.
Hammered coin production
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A furnace for producing molten metal for coin production.
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A trussell for use with a pile in the production of hammered coins as shown by the moneyer at work.
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An anvil die as used for minting hammered coins.
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Roman Denarius issued by T. Carisius (46BCE) showing the moneyer's die, anvil, hammer and tongs.
See also
References
- ^ a b c Bean, Simon C (1994). "Methodology" (PDF). The coinage of Atrebates and Regni (Ph.D.). University of Nottingham. pp. 28–29. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
- ^ Cochran-Patrick, R. W. (1876), Records of the Coinage of Scotland. Pub. Edmonston and Douglas, Edinburgh.