Geocoin Crafting, Minting, Purchasing

[+BigMahma]

I'd love some assistance in that I can't find any dadgum information whatsoever regarding this.

 

I'd like to make my own coins --- not pay someone else to mint them for me - but learn how to mint them.

 

Does anyone have any publications or books or online articles that can at least send me on my way to spending more money on this hobby

 

On that note - where would you recommend cheap (but nicely done) wooden, plastic or alluminum coins?

 

Thanks - and can't wait to read some good responses

 

BigMahma

[+whitebear]

I have been lloking into the same using old time technology ,here is an interesting limk

http://www.archaeologystudent.com/coinarch/paper5.htm

[+sillygirl & jrr]

Tiki makes his own and describes the process on his website.

 

edit speeelling

Edited August 27, 2006 by sillygirl & jrr

[+BigMahma]

Thank you very very very much

[+tiki]

Aloha!

 

As mentioned above, you can peek at my "Visit the Studio" page to see some of the lost wax process for coin making. If you are interested in hand stamping coins (like ancient greek and roman coins) there is an amazing artist in prague who hand stamps ancient coin replicas. He has some terrific movies of the process on his website. I dunno if I am allowed to give the site address... Hmmm..... I'll take a chance as is is for educational purposes

 

http://www.antiquanova.com/images/ATHE.wmv

 

Enjoy and good luck!

 

Tiki

 

PS - I was planning on hand stamping my TikiCoins at first - but I also had a heck of a time finding info on how it is done. I am rather familiar with lost wax casting - so I opted for that route. Since then, I have learned a bit more about the hand stamping process, and have considered producing a signature coin using that technique. The 2 main challenges with hand stamping are 1) making a high quality steel die (or stamp) for hammering your design into the coin blanks, and 2) producing a large number of blanks. The Prague artist I mentioned above is a fantastic engraver, and he cold cuts his designs (in reverse, no less) into steel dies for stamping. He stamps "bargain versions" of his coins in aluminum - a great idea for making cheap coins that won't wear down your die (aluminum is soft) and wont wear down your wallet (bronze, copper, and silver are a tad pricey for coins - a lot of machine stamped coins from china are a base metal alloy).

 

My 2 favorite coins in my (very minimal) coin collection are hand stamped: An ancient Greek Tetradrachm from Athens, and a 8 reales 1693 Spanish Cobb. There is such a wonderful feel to a hand stamped coin - high relief and a lot of heft (two things I aspire towards in my TikiCoins).

 

Whew! Sorry for the info-explosion! You can tell I like hand-made coins

If you are able to find any books/info about hand stamping, please let me know!

Edited August 29, 2006 by tiki

[+nscaler]

Very cool video.

[+whitebear]

I'll have to try again ,I couldn't make the video work the first time.