dcarr

I did not attend the Summer Seminar, but the "Modern Minting" Summer Seminar class with instructor James Wiles attended my Moonlight Mint on a field trip.

A good time was had by all. Students were able to see the entire minting process up close: concept designs and sketching; 3D sculpting; die engraving; die hardening and prep; planchet fabrication; coin press setup; and operation (striking) using a modern Denver Mint surplus coin press.

Each year I prepare a couple dies so the students can strike their own Open House token souvenir on their own pocket change or other coins/tokens/medals. This year was a special piece. The obverse die is the 2016 Clark Gruber "half eagle". The reverse die is actually a US Mint "X" cancelled 1996 Olympic $5 gold reverse die, one of only 33 such dies released by the US Mint.

Struck in a reeded-edge collar on a Liberty Head "V" nickel:

Broad-struck on a 38mm Bronze Denver Mint medal (my personal favorite of the pieces struck during the field trip):

"....and everyone should take the course on counterfeit detection."

 

Agreed. It's also fortuitous that the counterfeit detection class is offered not far from the source of so many counterfeits, too!

I didn't know the Denver Mint made "counterfeits" ?