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General Motors Roller Press Pattern Cents
braddick
Posts: 25,245 ✭✭✭✭✭
I've always been a bit intrigued by these as patterns in modern times (anything post 1950) is appealing to me.
Here's a link, detailing these interesting patterns:
1967 minted cent patterns
The design, so simple, is executed fairly well:
I've been in the market for these and found:
This AUCTION
Anyone have further details on this pattern and/or a merchant that specializes in carrying these?
Here's a link, detailing these interesting patterns:
1967 minted cent patterns
The design, so simple, is executed fairly well:
I've been in the market for these and found:
This AUCTION
Anyone have further details on this pattern and/or a merchant that specializes in carrying these?
0
Comments
As the item says, the big problem was die failure. If one die broke, you had to stop all of the dies from striking coins while the one was changed out.
The letters and numbers etched into the dies were part of an effort to salvage the project by devising a system where the output of each die pair was dumped into only one catch bin. If a single die failed, the press would be allowed to keep running and the output of that die pair would be held back and remelted. The letters and numbers were so that the people devising the ejection system could see if the coins from each die pair went into one and only one catch bin.
Thanks for your comment. I did not know why the letters and numbers were on the coins. Now I do! Thanks again.
<< <i>The many I have seen had adequate strikes for a cent.
As the item says, the big problem was die failure. If one die broke, you had to stop all of the dies from striking coins while the one was changed out.
The letters and numbers etched into the dies were part of an effort to salvage the project by devising a system where the output of each die pair was dumped into only one catch bin. If a single die failed, the press would be allowed to keep running and the output of that die pair would be held back and remelted. The letters and numbers were so that the people devising the ejection system could see if the coins from each die pair went into one and only one catch bin. >>
Only the "Captain" would know such a thing.
Apparently there were three different types and they have a note to reference an article in Coin World 3/15/93 and to check Pollock as well.
"Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
<< <i>I posted this a few years ago ATS I do believe this is the same press. >>
Thanks for the link
There are some great photos in that thread of the roller press and the "manufacturing development" pieces.
<< <i>I posted this a few years ago ATS I do believe this is the same press. >>
Just for clarification, the high-speed presses talked about in the Mint Report from the mid-1980's are the Schuler presses that strike horizontally and are the workhorses of the Mint now. I have stood next to one that was striking coins and the die is just a blur. I think it was running at 480 strikes per minute.
The Schuler presses only strike one coin per cycle. The GM roller press did not move as fast, but used so many pair of dies (I have heard 48, and I have heard 64; don't know if either number is correct) tyhat the production was considered high-speed.
"Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
I worked with some of the Manufacturing Development Staff (although in a different area) in that timeframe. It occurs to me that it is highly likely that there could have been more than one prototype machine constructed. It was understood early on that die wear was going to be an issue and also the desire to align the dies properly as the two rollers "kissed" the planchet at the instant of striking. This was done with pivoting knuckles and illustrates how complex this machine was. Uptime was likely a huge issue as well - getting all those dies aligned and operating with no problems, must have been nearly impossible.
Anyway, if interested, I have some pdf files of the article. PM me if interested.
In the meantime, I purchased the piece below directly from Ken Potter close to 20 years ago. Ken is one of the most knowledgeable people on this topic and handled a number of these pieces thru his shop in Michigan. I consider myself lucky to have obtained one. I have never had my "coin" graded - it resides in a capital plastic holder at the bank.
Also, I am aware of at least one piece that was sold thru Teletrade. Lot 1182 in Auction 2674 from 4/1/09 was for a P-4060 NGC 65 RB piece and sold for $1050.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
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