How did they make coins?

[karen]

Anyone know what the equipment used to stamp coins in A's era looked like or how it worked? Is this known?This isn't novel research. It's sheer curiosity on my part. (Though who knows, I might mention it.)Thanks in advance,
Karen

[ruthaki]

There were expert gold and silver smiths in those days. They likely poured the gold or silver into a mould that had a stamp in it, perhaps using the wax mould method. I'm sure somewhere here is an expert though. I'm just 'guessing'. (If you've seen the ancient coins they are not thin and polished like ours, but rather thick and crudly made.)

[ember]

Hi,I'm a newbie here, but have been collecting ancient coins for a
while now. The ancients first cast a coin blank or"planchet" of a
specified weight in a mould. They then took the planchet and
placed it on a die carved intaglio and placed another die on top of
the planchet. The upper die was then struck one or more times
with a hammer, resulting in the finished coin. Brgds,Darcy

[bob]

I know a lot about coins too. Hopefully this works, check out this website and you can see a good list of Alexander coins...
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/m ... xander_III

[karen]

Thanks Darcy -- next question -- was the planchette hot or cold when they hammered it?I have but one Alexander coin, a silver tetradrachm, I believe -- has the head of Herakles (but probably really Alexander) on one side, and on the other, Zeus seated, the inscription "ALEXANDROU" and the letter phi which I believe means it was made at the mint at Phaselis.Just imagining a mint worker whacking once or more with his hammer, then breaking the fresh coin out... to still shine 2300 years later, in my hand, having travelled who knows where and been in the possession of who knows who, or how many. It's too bad coins can't talk!Warmly,
Karen

[ember]

Hi Karen,I know, the stories they could tell would be amazing! There are
differing theories on the subject of heated vs cold blanks. They
were most probably heated and then allowed to cool again in a
process called annealing. If you don't mind me asking, are there
any other symbols on reverse of your coin, and where is the Phi
located? There were a few mints who used that particular mark.Brgds,
Darcy

[karen]

Hmm, let's take a look... no other symbols. The phi is to the left of Zeus, under the bird he's holding on his right hand. Does that tell you?Thx,
Karen

[ember]

Hi,According to Martin Price and his book "The Coinage In The Name
Of Alexander The Great And Philip Arrhidaeus", all of the
tetradrachms of Phaselis have additional symbols with the phi.
Your coin is most likely from an unknown mint in western Asia
Minor or an unknown Greek mint, dating from approximately 325
-280BCE.Brgds,
Darcy