The coin making process was a long and challenging one to perfect. The first coins to exist were mostly struck out by hand, with a few being cast in molds. Coins of bronze were the easiest to cast, although bronze coins did not arise until the late 3rd century.
Struck coins were hammered individually over dies with particular engravings or carvings, which were also done by hand. Most dies today are counterfeit, as the original dies were melted after use. It is not certain whether coin blanks were usually struck hot or cold. By the time the denarius was created, tools used to make coins were sometimes depicted on the reverse side.
Click here to watch a video on coin production.
The Art Institute of Chicago. 2013. “LaunchPad: Coin Production in the Roman World.” YouTube. Accessed December 15, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6T_ZutXzNQ.
Hallie Ford Museum of Art. “The Minting Process.” Coins of the Greek and Roman World. Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Willamette University. Accessed December 18, 2020. https://libmedia.willamette.edu/hfma/omeka/exhibits/show/coinsofthegreekandromanworld/numismatichistory/mintingprocess