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Stamping and die striking

· 1 min read · Techniques

Illustration: Stamping and die striking

Stamping imprints a design on metal by pressing it with a steel die. It is the technique of coins, medals and hallmarks.

Steps of the technique: Design the die, Anneal the sheet, Position, Press or strike, Remove, Trim
Summary of the steps

Punches and dies #

A steel punch with a relief design is struck against the metal; a die holds the design in intaglio and receives the metal. They can be done by hand or with machinery.

Press and coining #

A hydraulic press compresses a metal disc between two dies to reproduce a fine relief in identical pieces. It is the basis of serial production.

Marks and hallmarks #

Purity hallmarks (925, 750…) are stamped with small punches (see hallmarks and stamps).

Tips #

Anneal the metal so it takes the mark well and use a firm base to avoid rebound.

Step by step #

  1. Design the die. Engrave or carve the motif in negative.
  2. Anneal the sheet. Prepare the soft metal.
  3. Position. Put the sheet between die and counter-die.
  4. Press or strike. With a press or a single sharp blow.
  5. Remove. Take out the piece and check the relief.
  6. Trim. Cut out the shape and tidy the edges.

Tools and materials #

  • Steel punches and dies
  • Press or heavy hammer
  • Copper, brass or silver sheet
  • File and sandpaper

Common mistakes #

  • Stamping hard metal: it does not copy the detail.
  • Misaligned die: shifted relief.
  • A weak or double blow: the outline comes out bent.
  • Stamping on a soft surface.

See also #

This entry was drafted with the help of AI and is pending review by the author.