What material are coins made of. What metals and alloys are used for making coins. Creation of working stamps

In terms of the circulation of coins, Russia is no exception, and although not so long ago the famous penny died out due to its meager cost, metal money in Russia exists, however, in other denominations.

The world's coinage traditions are not much different. The only thing that changes is the design of the coins and their composition, or rather the alloy from which they are made.

For a long time, copper-based alloys have become traditional throughout the world. There is nothing surprising in this, since initially, after the transition from minting money from precious metals, it was copper that reigned in the coin business. As a bargaining chip, copper money existed in the days of ancient Rome.

What are coins made of?

Modern Russian coins are not made of any single metal or alloy. Much depends on the year of issue and the denomination.
Coins of one kopeck and five kopecks were made of steel with subsequent coating with cupronickel, representing the so-called clad coins.
The bulk of the ten and fifty kopeck coins issued before 2009 were made of a special copper-zinc alloy. But, starting in 2006, these coins began to be produced from steel clad with the Tompak alloy, created on the basis of copper with zinc and other elements.

Coins of higher denomination, one and two rubles, were originally made from. This continued until 2009, but later they began to be minted with steel and plated with nickel.

Until 2009, five-ruble coins were minted from copper with cupronickel plating. Only, starting in 2009, the production of steel five-ruble coins with a coating of.

Since 2009, ten ruble coins have been minted from brass-plated steel.

History

But the Russian one did not always gravitate towards iron. There was a period when a bimetallic coin, which was quite difficult to manufacture, but effective, was minted in large quantities. So, in 1991, a ten-ruble coin was minted, in which the inner part was made of a copper-zinc alloy, and the outer part was made of cupronickel.

After the curtailment of the minting of this coin in 1992, bimetallic coins in denominations of fifty and one hundred rubles were issued into mass circulation.

Currently, in addition to mass coins, collectible, gift,. For them, they use gold, silver, all the same bimetal with the only difference that modern commemorative coins have a ring of copper-zinc alloy and a core of cupronickel.

Coins as a means of payment appeared long before paper money. It turns out that they were made not only of gold and silver.

During the reign of King George IV in England in 1825, an alloy called Barton's metal was used as a coin metal. It was copper, covered with a thick layer of gold.

From gold to cardboard

For the production of British sovereigns, the so-called crown gold was used - 22 carats of gold and 2 carats of ligature - usually copper or silver. In modern Great Britain, coins in denominations of 1 pound and 3 pence are minted from nickel brass - an alloy of copper, zinc (from 3 to 30%) and a small amount of nickel. The Italian coins of 50 and 100 lira, until the euro was introduced, were made of stainless steel (an alloy of iron with chrome and nickel). In Bohemia in the 18th century and France in the 19th century, metallic money was minted from an alloy of tin and lead or from an alloy of copper and antimony.

The earliest coins minted in Lydia and in the Frankish state were made from ore containing 75% gold and 25% silver.

But there was a time when instead of metals for the manufacture of coins their surrogates were used, and not always durable. For example, in 1574 in the Netherlands, in 1915 in Mexico during hyperinflation, after the First World War, cardboard was used for this purpose in Germany. In Russia, postage stamps were used as coins. In Japan, at the end of World War II, baked clay coins were issued. Embossed leather pieces were used as a means of payment in the 16th century during the wars in Europe. It is believed that porcelain coins were put into circulation during the Ptolemaic period in Egypt and Thailand in the early 18th century.

Colored coins

In modern Russia, for each denomination of coins, a different alloy of metals is used, corresponding to their face value, hence the different color of the coins. Each coin has its own specific weight.

White coins, in denominations of 1 and 5 kopecks, are made of bimetal - a special alloy of steel clad with cupronickel. Plating gives the coin a white color. To be more precise, steel is the "core" of the coin. Cupronickel allows you to make the coin more wear-resistant and durable.

Coins in denominations of 10 and 50 kopecks - yellow - are made of brass. There are no impurities of other metals in them.

Ruble coins in denominations of 1 and 2 rubles are made from an alloy of copper and nickel. Moreover, there is more nickel in this alloy than copper, since copper is easily deformable, therefore, coins with a high content of it would be less durable.

Five-ruble coins are made of bimetal. The base of the coin is made of copper, and the surface is plated with cupronickel.

Until last year, coins in denominations of 10 rubles were also made from bimetal, but using a slightly different technology. The base - the disc of the coin - was cast from cupronickel, and the ring was made of brass, so the coins have a double color. Since 2010, new ten-ruble coins have been put into circulation, which are made of steel coated with copper by galvanic treatment (copper "builds up" on steel under the influence of an electric current).

What metal are coins made of? Or rather, what metals are used to make coins? The question is, of course, very interesting.
In this article, we will try to describe the basic metals and alloys from which coins are made.
Since the time when people began to use the first metallic money, various individual metals and alloys have been used for their production. So in Russia starting from the XVIII century. for these purposes, mainly copper, silver and gold were used. A little later, platinum was added to this list, but not for long. Even later, aluminum bronze began to be used for the production of metallic money.

List of basic metals and alloys that are used for minting coins:
1) Gold. This metal has excellent chemical resistance. It is used for minting large denomination coins. For the production of coins, metal of different samples is used.
2) Platinum. This metal, like gold, has excellent chemical resistance, but is now rarely used for making coins.
3) Silver. It was one of the first metals used to make money. It has a number of properties that allow it to be used in the process of minting coins. Metal of various samples is used in coinage.
4) Palladium Is a platinum group metal. Color - white and silver. In modern Russia, since 1992, several coins have been issued, made of palladium in denominations of 5, 10 and 25 rubles. Now this metal is not used for making coins in Russia.
5) Copper- a red metal with a chemical resistance lower than silver and gold. When exposed to moisture, coins become coated in various shades. The metal was used in Russia and the USSR from 1700 to 1926. for the manufacture of a bargaining chip.
6) Aluminum bronze. It is a yellow alloy containing 95% copper and only 5% aluminum. Example: the first Soviet coins 1926 -1957 in denominations of 1, 2, 3 and 5 kopecks.
7) Brass Is an alloy of copper and zinc with a yellow tint. In Soviet times, the alloy was used for minting coins with denominations of 1, 2, 3 and 5 kopecks.
8) Cupronickel. This is the name of an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel in a ratio of 60%: 20%: 20%. The color of the alloy is silver.
9) Copper-nickel alloy which has a silvery tint. In terms of its chemical and mechanical properties, it is slightly inferior to cupronickel. An example is Soviet coins in denominations of 10, 15, 20 and 50 kopecks.
10) Steel coated with other metals. An example of these coins can serve as modern Russian coins in denominations of 10 and 50 kopecks, where copper-plated steel is used.
11) Bimetallic coins- these are coins made of two metals and having two components, each of which consists of different metals, such as brass and cupronickel.
And this is far from a complete list of metals and alloys from which coins are made.

Collecting is a very interesting and informative hobby that gives the owner knowledge, both in the field of history and in numismatics. Of course, knowledgeable connoisseurs of rare specimens will immediately answer the question: "What metal are coins made of?" However, it will not be easy for a beginner who has recently started to get involved in numismatics to determine the composition and types of coins. That is why the article presents: popular metal alloys, as well as fascinating historical facts about Russia and the USSR.

From the history

The very first coins were made by ancient craftsmen from a natural alloy of gold and silver in 685 BC. e., during the reign of the Asia Minor king Ardis. These data reached contemporaries thanks to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who mentioned the memorable event in his full-scale treatise. Coins at that time were minted from silver, gold and copper, although there were specimens of iron, tin and lead. Since then, the design and composition have changed significantly, acquiring all new types and sizes.

Interesting
In Russia, before the coming to power of Peter the Great, coins were minted mainly from silver and only after the next tsarist reform they began to include gold in the alloys of precious metals.

The nominal value of the specimen began to fully correspond to the price of the metal, which greatly reduced the risk of inflation and the possibility of counterfeiting money. Naturally, counterfeit coins were still encountered, but it became much easier to determine their authenticity. Upon detailed study, it became clear that the fake from the original differed in a slightly lower weight.

By the way, platinum for minting coins in Russia began to be used approximately at the beginning of the 19th century, but due to inefficiency in 1845, platinum copies were discontinued. There is an opinion that platinum prices were artificially inflated by European partners.

At the very beginning of the formation of the USSR, the government decided to modify the composition of the coins, replacing copper with a unique aluminum bronze. However, in the early 30s, the era of alloys containing non-precious metals was born, which is still welcomed today. Of course, collector's editions made of precious alloys are an exception.

Types of metals and alloys

Based on trusted sources, even a person who is inexperienced in numismatic terms, after reading the article, can easily determine the composition of the coin.

There are such alloys as:

• bronze;
• billon;
• electr;
• brass;
• potin.

Features of silver coins

In the catalogs of Russia, the chemical designation, familiar to the modern man in the street, is used - Ag.

Silver is inherently soft and resistant to temperature processes, a metal with high ductility, malleability and excellent stamping during minting, however, compared to gold, its casting qualities are an order of magnitude lower. At the same time, the cost of silver coins increases from year to year.

Interesting
During the minting process, copper alloys are added, which significantly change the mechanical characteristics of silver, making the product more resistant to adverse factors.

In tsarist Russia and the USSR, craftsmen used silver from 125 ° to 900 ° samples for the production of coins. Modern craftsmen use only 925 ° test material, since it is in this form that the specimen retains its original appearance for a long time.

Unique features of platinum

At the end of the seventies, the release of collectible coins began in the USSR, which ended in 1991 due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. In total, eleven copies were created, of which five units with a face value of 150 rubles. were made in honor of the upcoming Olympic Games.

After the disappearance of the USSR, sixteen collectible coins with a nominal value of 20.50 and 150 rubles were minted in Russia, which today are of great value at any auction, because after 1996 platinum coins were no longer minted.

Platinum (Pt) is quite hard, due to which it is not a sufficiently ductile material, steel-gray in color, which begins to melt when the temperature reaches 1759 ° C.

An interesting feature is the fact that the metal can completely dissolve only in aqua regia.

(Au) is a soft, malleable, malleable and graceful material of golden hue with excellent casting properties.

For the manufacture of gold coins, gold is combined with an admixture of various alloys, mainly with copper, which increases the durability and hardness of the product.

One of the most famous gold coins is the gold chervonets "Sower", issued in the USSR in the early twenties. The copy has a replica made at the "sunset" of the communist system.

Copper coins

Copper is several times harder than gold and silver, which makes it excellent for minting. In Russia and the USSR, copper coins were minted from 1700 to 1926, and then it was replaced by aluminum bronze.

Combined coins (bimetallic)

Combination coins are made of two materials, usually using alloys of brass and cupronickel. By the way, the first bimetallic coin with a face value of ten rubles was issued in the USSR and put into circulation in 1991. The copy did not have the Soviet coat of arms, so it was minted in Russia until 1992.

Summing up, we can safely assure that it will be quite difficult to determine the composition of the alloy and metal without having special knowledge in chemistry and numismatics, however, thanks to the "World Wide Web" you can always find information of interest to the reader and reveal the fascinating features of a particular alloy, as well as easily determine its components.

A coin is a banknote made of metal that serves as a legalized medium of circulation and payment. Most often, coins are round, less often - oval. Previously, coins were minted or cast from copper, silver or gold. Modern coins are usually made from alloys of aluminum, copper or nickel. The name "coin" comes, as scientists believe, from the second name of the Roman goddess Juno, at whose temple money was minted in ancient Rome. Juno was called the Mentor, which in Latin sounded like Juno Coin.

For each coin, it is customary to distinguish between the front (it is called the obverse) and the reverse side (it is called the reverse). The side edge of a coin, its edge, is called a edge. The science that comprehensively studies the history of monetary circulation and minting of coins is numismatics.

After a short excursion into history, we will tell you about how coins are made in the modern mint.

Coin making process

• First, the designer develops a sketch of the coin on paper, after which he creates its three-dimensional model in an enlarged form. Then the model is covered with a thick layer of silicone-based rubber, which reproduces the entire relief of the model in the smallest detail. When the rubber hardens, it is carefully removed and a kind of "negative" of the coin is obtained - the convex parts of the image become concave and vice versa, the concave parts become convex. The resulting negative form is filled with epoxy and allowed to harden, after which the epoxy copy is removed from the silicone mold.
• A special reduction machine transfers the image from the epoxy copy to the master stamp made of steel. During the transfer process, the image is reduced, and the size of the resulting stamp already corresponds to the specified dimensions of the future coin.
• On the basis of the main master stamp, working stamps from high-strength steel are created. They are hardened, polished and then chrome plated to give them extra strength and increase their service life.
• On special presses, round blanks of coins are cut and their edge is processed, applying the necessary inscriptions and notches on it.
• After that, the workpiece is heated, cooled, etched and polished to a mirror finish. The blank is now ready to be loaded into the coin press.
• Steel punches mint both sides of the coin at the same time, after which new and shiny finished coins can only be counted and packaged.

This concludes our story about how coins are made. Finally, some information about the coins of Russia.

Modern coins of Russia

• Now coins of the 1997 model are in use in denominations of one, five, ten and fifty kopecks, as well as one, five, ten and twenty-five rubles. Now a few words about what kind of metal the coins are made of. One- and five-kopeck coins are minted from steel clad with cupronickel, ten and fifty kopecks are made of brass, coins in denominations of one and two rubles are made of a copper-nickel alloy, and ten rubles are made of steel with a brass coating.
• Modern Russian coins are minted at two mints - Moscow and St. Petersburg. The coins bear the mint mark on which they were minted. Sometimes you come across coins on which such a sign is absent due to technical violations in the minting process. Coins without a mint mark are extremely rare and therefore very expensive. So, for example, collectors are ready to pay five thousand rubles for a five-kopeck coin of 2002, which has no stigma, and a 50-kopeck coin of 2001 with the stigma of the Moscow Mint will bring its lucky owner an incredible amount - as much as one hundred thousand rubles!