Die-sinking is the art of preparing dies for stamping coins, buttons, medallions, jewelry, fittings, etc.
The steel for the manufacture of dies is carefully selected, forged at a high heat into the rough die, softened by careful annealing, and then handed over to the engraver. After the engraver has worked out the design in intaglio the die is put through the operation of hardening, after which, being cleaned and polished, it is called a matrix. This is not, however, generally employed in multiplying impressions, but is used for making a punch or steel impression for relief. For this purpose another block of steel of the same quality is selected, and, being carefully annealed or softened, is compressed by proper machinery upon the matrix until it receives the impression. When this process is complete the impression is retouched by the engraver, and hardened and collared like the matrix. Any number of dies may now be made from this punch by impressing upon it plugs of soft steel. From the end of the 19th century the earlier process of dies-sinking was commonly replaced by patterns engraved upon rollers for transference to sheet metal by rolling pressure. Research Die-Sinking
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Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
SciTech
Research Die-Sinking
