Definition

Noun: A coin blank is a flat, round piece of metal that has been prepared but not yet stamped with a design. It is the unfinished, plain disk from which a coin is minted.

Usage

The term "coin blank" is used specifically in the context of coin production and numismatics (the study of coins). It refers to the object in its intermediate state between a raw metal strip and a finished, legal-tender coin.

Examples

• The mint produced thousands of coin blanks before the new commemorative design was approved.
• Numismatists sometimes collect error coins, such as a coin blank that was accidentally struck with a mismatched die.
• The first step in minting is cutting the coin blanks, also called planchets, from a rolled metal sheet.

Advanced Usage

• Technical Context: In minting terminology, a "coin blank" is often called a planchet. While "blank" emphasizes the absence of design, "planchet" is the more formal technical term for the prepared disk.
• Collecting Context: Unstruck coin blanks (planchets) are collected as a distinct category within numismatics, separate from finished coins.

Variants and Related Words

• Planchet (n): The formal term for a coin blank, especially one that is precisely weighed and prepared for striking.
• Flan (n): A less common synonym for planchet, used more frequently in British or historical contexts.

Synonyms

• Planchet
• Flan (historical/regional)
• Unstruck disk

Related Phrases

• To strike a blank: This phrase can refer to the act of minting a coin from a blank, but it is more commonly used metaphorically to mean an attempt that yields no result (e.g., "The investigation struck a blank").
  • Note: The metaphorical use does not directly involve the physical object.

Noun

1. a flat metal disk ready for stamping as a coin