The values of a unique coin
Vera Valor's mission? To make gold and silver accessible to all through a medium that is as exceptional as it is unique. At the origin of each coin is the burning desire to recount and relay a story. A message whose power lies in its value. A desire for excellence, which guides us from the initial pencil sketch through to the final coin being placed in its presentation case.
From the imagination of a human being through to the weight of the coin in the palm of your hand, we take you through each step of its creation.
The power of an idea
A sketch imbued with emotions.
The story of each coin starts with a sketch. A rough draft made up of a few lines imbued with emotions and feelings. For each new project, the designer takes on a major challenge: to find that perfect balance between aesthetics and technical constraints. Working with noble materials such as gold and silver requires some initial thought on the tiniest curve or the smallest detail that will make all the difference when the metal is struck. It requires skilful manipulation of the subtleties of light and shade created by the relief designs that reveal themselves when exposed to light.
Technical mastery.
After creating several sketches, the ideas take shape. Technical mastery and computer wizardry go into the final design, which is as subtle and exquisite as the initial idea.
Every line is traced meticulously to ensure a perfect balance. The coin die will be engraved with a negative impression of the design and will then be used to strike the coins. Every detail counts, a bit like a fragile piece of lace, from design to completion.
Selecting the raw materials
With an awareness of the environmental and social challengesaround mining precious metals, the Vera Valor Luxury Private Mint chooses its partners with great care to ensure that we are fully in control of our entire production process. Certified by the prestigious London Bullion Market Association - LBMA– all of our partners comply with the most demanding requirements regarding the origins, transport and processing of the raw materials. This certification guarantees compliance with human rights and environmental standards at all stages of manufacture.
Vera Valor coins, whether in pure gold or silver and depending on the range, are created using "clean mining" extraction techniques or recycled materials from responsible suppliers. These fundamental requirements are part of the founding values of our Luxury Private Mint.
Unique gifts, of course, but with prices that are not out of reach. Making gold and silver accessible to everyone means making the most of the features of these materials. Coins that you can be proud of.
A complex process
The stages required in manufacturing a coin have hardly changed since the beginning of the industrial age. The current process is the same almost to the letter, the only difference being the technological innovations that have allowed certain laborious tasks to be automated.
Striking a balance between heritage and modernity, age-old expertise and innovation.
All of the pure gold and silver coins created by Vera Valor are minted exclusively in the greatest facilities in the world. Expertise forged over many centuries of experience minting coins ensures excellent quality that makes all the difference.
1. Engraving the coin die.
Once the coin's visual design elements have been checked, the die can be engraved. Like a sculpture that is brought to life under the movement of the sculptor's tool, this stage was previously carried out by hand, combining skill and precision. Today, tools have evolved and become automated. However, Vera Valor still devotes as much attention to this essential stage, which will impact on the quality of the coins that will be struck later. It's this coin die that will create the relief design on the coin and bring to life the play of light that was first dreamed up a few weeks beforehand.
By combining ancient expertise with innovation, our partners are able to bring all the beauty of an age-old process to a high-quality modern piece.
2. Processing the raw materials
Refining is essential in coin manufacturing. This process enables pure gold and silver to be recovered from a wide range of raw materials, after which they are melted into bars whilst maintaining optimum purity at all times. Rolling and annealing transforms these bars into strips of different sizes and widths.
3. Cutting and processing the blanks.
Electronically controlled precision machines punch discs from the metal strips. The rimming process ensures that the disc edges are raised and protects the surface of the future coin, guaranteeing a long-lasting design once the coin is struck. The blanks are then placed into a polishing drum. Repeated contact with thousands of balls within the drum prepares the surfaces of the blanks for the striking stage.
4. Striking.
This is where all those years of experience come into their own. The clean lines of the coin design take shape through the sheer force of the high pressure hydraulic stamping machine. The engraved coin die leaves its indelible mark on the blank. From the initial sketches to the palm of your hand, the deeply affecting play of light will cast its shimmering spell forever.
5. Quality control.
High expectations are integral to our organisation, which means that our strict quality control processes apply at every stage of manufacture. Carried out in cutting-edge laboratories holding the globally-recognised DIN EN ISO 9001 certification, the process verifies that each coin is perfectly uniform. Assaying, weight, dimension and mechanical checks are carried out on bullion coins and legal-tender coins, all of which guarantee that you are in possession of a Luxury Coin.
6. Made-to-measure presentation case.
As you can imagine, a Luxury Private Mint ensures that every detail is taken care of, to ensure excellence. That's why each coin is accompanied with a certificate of authenticity to confirm its quality credentials.
Because your coins are designed to endure both in terms of the item and its value, we have created a made-to-measure presentation case to showcase your item.
An exquisite case to house a unique item.