Coining Used to be Labor Intensive (lots of images)

[WoodenJefferson]

From the man powered flywheel screw presses, to steam power, the mints finally got dependable electric motors to

operate the vertical coin presses. At one time, from the very start to finish, coining presses used to be labor intensive.

 

With the advent of modern technology, operators are now more or less are “baby sitters” to automation. Not so in the past,

as these images from around the world reveal, it was all hands on.

 

Coining Press used in the Royal Mint

Published by A. Constable & Co. Edin. 1818

 

Operator at the Royal Mint

 

First steam operated coining press, circa 1836

 

Coining at the Philadelphia Mint, 1901

(published in Scientific American,1901)

 

The Medal Room of the Philadelphia Mint circa 1903

 

 

COINING PRESSES. Royal Mint, Ottawa.

Circa 1915

Examining room: "Ringing" of coins to detect flaws

 

United States Mint, 1956

 

Modern one cent high speed horizontal Schuler press.

 

Shot of the computer screen of high speed Schuler press.

 

Note: not to down play the roll of the modern operator, it takes skill and training to operate these modern NC behemoths.

 

[thebeav]

Great pix......Technology marches on.....

You know, a kid born within a few years from now, won't even know what a VCR is.

 

Paul

[physics-fan3.14]

Very cool sequence of images, very interesting. The early guys must have been like "So, you want me to stick my fingers in there? Are you crazy?"

[rexcat]

Cool photos woody, (thumbs u

 

In the "Coining at the Philadelphia Mint, 1901" photo a leather belt is coming through the floor running over a flat pulley that has no guarding was so ever and it's right at waist level.

 

[EZ_E]

In the "Coining at the Philadelphia Mint, 1901" photo a leather belt is coming through the floor running over a flat pulley that has no guarding was so ever and it's right at waist level.

 

I reckon that the folks of yesterday had to use a little more common sense than some use today. After all, I doubt that anyone ever got sued back then by getting burned by hot coffee.

 

 

Great progression of the photos, Woody! Excellent presentation! Thanks. (thumbs u

[Coin]

Thanks Woody , loved the way you presented this post. Enjoyed the progression and the pics.

-John

[RWB]

Neat photos and drawings! Thanks!

[jesbroken]

As usual, Woody, your presentation was interesting, informative and well presented. Thanks for your time in putting it together.

Jim

[RI AL]

Ditto from me! I enjoyed the presentation! Thanks!

 

RI AL

[Dcoin]

I know that 18th and 19th century coins regularly had mintages of under 100,000, but to me its a miracle that they were able to even make that many.

 

Thanks for the post Woody

 

[pendragon1998]

Modern one cent high speed horizontal Schuler press.

 

Awesome photos - I'd love to see the 'quality standards' page for the lincoln cents that's posted on that press.