Engraving consists in the preparation of the coin: it is a crucial moment for obtaining a quality product. The minting is made with the use of pantographs, but the most important point is the manual work of the engraver who, with special tools called burins, works directly on the steel.
On some occasions , for example in case of a medals with a portrait or an artistic bas-reliefs, the first step consists in the preparation of a model, generally in plaster, made by a specialized sculptor. The model is then “read” by a laser machine which, subsequently connected to a machine tool, allows the sculptor’s work to be reproduced on a steel piece in the desired size.
The final work of the engraver on the steel piece completes the details for the preparation of the coin.