Die-sinker and Engraver

Job overview
Die-sinkers and engravers are people qualified in designing, modelling and striking medals and coins.

They also supervise the equipment with which these coins and medals are struck.

What do people do in this job?
A new coin or medal is made according to a sketch plan of whatever is to be portrayed.

The plan itself is often produced by the die-sinkers and engravers.

The designs can be front views, oblique, or profile views of well-known people, buildings, or symbolical designs.

After the sketch design has been approved, the design is modelled by the die-sinkers and engravers.

This calls for exact craftsmanship.

The initials of the modeller are struck onto the medal or coin. ?The model is then moulded into a plaster negative and an acrylic positive.

After this follows the reducing process, where the acrylic positive is used to cut a steel die that will be the actual size of the final product. ?A negative is again printed from this positive die to which the necessary wording is added with letter and number punches.

Die-sinkers and engravers also do machine and hand engraving of monograms, different letterforms and decorative work on precious metals.

In addition they sometimes manufacture embossing stamps for paper and wax for government departments, legal firms etc.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
Die-sinkers and engravers should have artistic abilities and be able to do delicate handwork.

Their eye-hand co-ordination and eyesight have to be good, since their eyes will be continually under stress.

What qualifications are needed?
Good art results from school, usually complemented by post-school training at a polytechnic or art college.