"Planchet" and "flan" - are the terms interchangeable?

lordmarcovan

And if not, what's the difference? I see both used in the context of a coin blank, but "flan" seems to be used more often in ancient and medieval coinage. An older term, perhaps?

(Yeah, and "flan" is also a custardlike Mexican dessert, I know.)

ConstellatioCollector

Flan is a dessert... isn't it? Oh, wrong board!

Aethelred

planchet - pre strike
flan - post strike

lordmarcovan

Planchet refers to pre-strike, sure. But after the strike, when it ceases to be a blank piece of metal, wouldn't it be called a COIN, instead? Why is there a need for pre-strike/post-strike terminology for a blank piece of metal?

I thought it might be something like Aethelred posted. But it seems strange to me. Maybe the fact that I wonder about it at all is symptomatic of a bit too much time on my hands...

Conder101

To my understanding flan and blank are interchangable, flan and planchet are not. The flan or blank is the piece of metal punched out of the strip, after it has had the edge upset and is ready for striking it becomes a planchet. After or post-striking it is a coin, not a flan, blank, or planchet.

1jester

Interesting description, Conder. Perhaps that's why the term planchet isn't used for medieval coins, since in many cases, edges weren't upturned, but simply left alone after the coin's "flan" was cut out.

lordmarcovan

AHA!

Thank you, Conder. I posted this on the Liteside forum instead of the Darkside, just so you might see it. I knew you'd be the one to aswer it.

richbeat

That's the first I've heard of that term. Personally I don't care for it, I prefer the term blank. Curiously I could not find flan listed in my Webster's.

SYRACUSIAN

Very interesting question LM ! Thanks conder .