TOPIC:

My understanding is that the punches are used to make working dies, which are in turn used to strike the silver medal blanks in the minting press. Therefore the punches are positives (the same as the final medal ) while dies are negative images. When the medal blank is struck by the die (a negative) , the blank then obtains the reverse image of the die to produce the positive image again.

Since the working dies can become worn or cracked during use, the punch is used to produce more working dies as needed.

Regards

Adrian

PS I bought this Lot because I am very interested in the numismatic aspects of medal manufacture.

Adrian,

Many thanks for clarifying that. It sounds like you have added some great additions to your collection.

In your research, have you come across any accounts of how and in how many places the QSAs were names or seen any pictures of the process?

With thanks
David

Adrian123456 wrote: My understanding is that the punches are used to make working dies, which are in turn used to strike the silver medal blanks in the minting press. Therefore the punches are positives (the same as the final medal ) while dies are negative images. When the medal blank is struck by the die (a negative) , the blank then obtains the reverse image of the die to produce the positive image again.

Since the working dies can become worn or cracked during use, the punch is used to produce more working dies as needed.

Regards

Adrian

Mr Adrian 123456, Sir

FYI and further numismatic expertise/comment.

Making a medal, seemingly, involves stamping a silver disc of appropriate weight between dies, in the case of a QSA needing two depictions a front/obverse and a back/reverse. The depictions on both dies obviously will be mirror-images of master-punch engraving used in preparation of the working die. The punches thus themselves bear individual precise and clear engraving of the medal obverse and reverse.

The items in question shown in the original posting could therefore all be obverse and reverse die-renewal punches - except the one in the middle (the rim of the cracked mount marked 1903) which is a mirror-image! If purposed for the creation of new dies the QSA items show poor and undecipherable edge lettering - certainly unacceptable quality of definition for die replacement?

Hi

The die in the middle of the picture, dated1903, is in fact a die. The image is therefore a negative of the final face of the QSA as we all know it. The lettering is therefore sunk into the surface of the die,as a mirror image, so that on the final silver medal, the lettering will protrude upwards as it does. There appears to be some corrosion present around the lettering, and I think this makes the lettering appear unclear. But when I get the dies in my hands, I expect that this will be cosmetic only, and the lettering will still be as clear as it should be.

As a matter of interest, the process of using a punch to make a working die, involves the use of a very high pressure hobbing press, (about 1200 tons) which presses the hardened steel punch into a softer metal blank die.

The die is then hardened by heat treatment, and the face polished before use.The minting press would use a force of about 400 tons to mint each medal.
Also note the crack in one of the dies, probably from use.

When I return from holiday, I will try and post a photo of a medal edge lettering machine from WW1.

Regards

Adrian

Hi

I have attached a photo of the medal naming machine from WW1.
I doubt that this machine is very different from that used during the Boer War era, only 12 years before.
The medal is clamped in the centre, behind the red wooden knob. The letters are selected on the central dial, and a foot pedal is pressed to strike the letter punch onto the medal rim. The medal the rotates via an indexing system, for the next letter to be struck.

Photo courtesy of "The Great War Medal Collectors Companion" by Howard Williamson, page 86
Regards

Adrian

Adrian,

Thank you posting that picture. It is fascinating to see what device was used to name the medals.

Best wishes
David