A Reputation for Quality, Craftsmanship and Beauty
Every coin we produce is the result of hours of dedication from the designers, engravers, and minters who work together to create the highest quality proof and brilliant uncirculated coins using a combination of ancient handcraftsmanship and the best of modern minting technologies.
The Design
Drawing on the expertise of some of the world’s most talented coin designers, a series of drawings are submitted for consideration and then refined to perfection. This preferred design is then presented to the Issuing Authority for approval.
Royal Approval
As The East India Company Coins carry the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, every coin is presented to the Royal Household once it has been approved by the Issuing Authority. Only when Her Majesty has formally approved the coin design can the process of turning a drawing into a precious metal coin begin.
Modelling
Typically, each drawing is first converted into a hand-crafted clay or plaster model. Highly skilled sculptors and engravers ensure every detail of the design is carefully translated into the model. The model is then attached to a transfer engraver which traces the image using a ruby tipped stylus to reduce the design down to coin-size. The designs are then transferred to computer modelling software for final refinements, lettering, and perfecting.
Master Tools
Once the digital design is finished to perfection, a set of master tools are produced out of a steel blank. This master tool is used to create working dies, one each for the obverse and reverse. The dies are then ‘hobbed’ and polished carefully by hand to ensure any impurities are removed, and every intricate detail of the design is perfectly reproduced.
Striking Beauty
The dies are then fitted to a hydraulic striking press, carefully aligned to assure the obverse and reverse designs are struck to the correct orientation. An annealed, polished, and perfect quality metal blank is then placed in the central collar of the press. The press then squeezes the dies into the blank using immense pressure to force the steel die into the softer, precious metal. The strike is repeated several times to ensure every fine detail is transferred to the new coin.
Perfection. Guaranteed
The coin is then carefully checked, and quality approved to ensure the accuracy of its weight, diameter, and alloy. The East India Company team uses the most exacting standards to guarantee the specification of each coin before it is placed into its protective capsule and presentation case, ready to be shipped across the globe.
As a final assurance, every coin is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, offering the collector or investor absolute peace of mind that their coin is an accurate and authentic product of The East India Company’s centuries-old reputation for precious metals expertise.