Custom Minting

Great American Bullion works with different mints to produce custom minted products, following are most common questions and answer:

1. What steps are involved in the custom minting process?

There are 5 basic steps:
1. Quoting – This involves determining specific features about your final product depending on your budget and the purpose of the project.
2. Artwork – We will work with you to create artwork that reflects the design you would like to feature on your final product.
3. Dies – After the artwork has been finalized and approved, the design will be cut into steel dies that will be used to stamp the image into your medallions.
4. Minting – Once we have received the dies and precious metals (if applicable) have been locked in and paid, we can begin the minting of your medallions.
5. Packaging and Shipping – The completed medallions are packaged in whatever packaging you have chosen and shipped to you.

2. How long does custom minting process take?

The entire process generally takes 8-12 weeks. Factors that affect the timeline include artwork approval, die engraving, payment, and our current minting workload.
Things that you as the customer can do to speed up the process include good (consistent) communication, active decision-making, and prompt payment for dies and metals.

3. Pricing

What is the minimum cost for custom minting?

- While every project is different, usually the minimum cost for a medallion with your custom design on both sides is about $2,400, plus metal costs if your project will be done in gold or silver.

Why do you need to know my budget to give me a quote?

- There are MANY custom minting possibilities! Understanding the purpose for your project as well as your budget helps us determine the best options available to you. Options that can be adjusted to achieve your purpose while staying within your budget include tweaking design features, using substitute metals, or adjusting sizing, packaging, or the finish of the medallions.

What factors are needed to receive an accurate quote?

- Custom minting costs can vary greatly. To get a realistic quote, we will need a basic idea of your design/artwork as well as the size, metal, finish, and quantity that you would like to have made. We will also need a ship-to address to get an accurate shipping quote.

What costs are involved in custom minting?

- There are 4 main components of custom minting pricing:
  1. Dies – Generally you will need at least two dies (one for each side of the medallion). Dies cost anywhere from $800 – $4,300 each, depending on the type of design and amount of detail required.
  2. Metals – Non-precious metal costs are included in the fabrication costs. Precious metals are purchased separately and depend on current market pricing. Precious metals may have a premium on them based on the current market.
  3. Fabrication – While we don’t’ require a minimum quantity, we do implement a minimum fabrication cost of $1,300. If your project exceeds the minimum cost, the fabrication cost is determined by the specifications of the medallions.
  4. Packaging and shipping – Basic packaging is included in the cost of fabrication, but any additional packaging (i.e. acrylic capsules , presentation boxes, etc) is charged separately. Shipping costs are always in addition to the other costs listed.

4. Payment

When will payment be due?
- Dies will need to be paid for prior to being engraved. Precious metals need to be paid for within 48 hours of locking in the price. Metals must be locked in and paid for prior to beginning the actual minting process. Minting and shipping costs are billed when the product has shipped. Many customers prefer to pay everything at once. In that case, the entire payment is due prior to the dies being engraved.

What payment methods are available?

- Payment may be made via check, wire, ACH, or Zelle, Credit cards, Credit card payments include a 4.15% convenience fee. Please note that precious metals may not be paid for using a credit card.

5. Dies

What are dies?

- Dies are pieces of steel that have your designs engraved on them. We insert them into a high-tonnage press to stamp the design into your chosen metal(s).

Who owns the dies?

- You own the dies that you have made. Once your project is completed you can request to have them sent to you or if you plan to use them again we can store them for you.

What are the different types of dies?

- 2D dies are the most basic. The design is raised but only in flat lines that are parallel to the surface. Text, logos, and non-realistic landscapes or animals fall into this category. These dies generally cost $1050 each.
- 3D dies allow the image to come off of the horizontal plane. The design can be beveled or rounded. Realistic landscapes, animals, and objects as well as generic people fall into this category. These dies generally cost $1500 each.

How do I submit my design/artwork?

- If you have completed artwork, you can simply send it to us. Artwork for a 2D die needs to be submitted as vectored art (.ai, .pdf, etc.). Artwork for 3D dies or sculpts can be sent in any format. We may need to make some design tweaks to ensure that the image will look good and press correctly in the metal.
- If you have an idea of what you want, but don’t have artwork created, we can refer you to our 3rd party designer to have the artwork developed.

Can I use the same dies for different metals?

- You can use the same dies on different metals, but there are a couple of considerations:
  1. Precious metal medallions are sized according to their weight. Because metals have different densities, a one ounce silver medallion will not have the same diameter as a one ounce gold medallion. If you want to do medallions in both metals, you’ll either need two sets of dies or the medallions will need to be different weights. For example, a half ounce silver medallion and a one ounce gold medallion are both made with a 30mm diameter.
  2. It’s a good idea to include the weight and purity on precious metals medallions somewhere. Usually this is included in the design on the dies. However, if you plan to use the same set of dies for different precious metals or precious and non-precious metals, you’ll want to leave that information off of the dies and consider having the weight and purity edge-marked on the precious metal medallions.

How long will the dies last?

- This can vary depending on the design, but on average dies for mirror finish medallions can stamp about 10,000 pieces before they start to wear out, and dies for frosted finish medallions can stamp about 35,000 pieces before showing signs of wear.

5. Minting Options

What types of metal are available?

- We offer gold, silver, copper, and brass.

What sizes can I choose from?

- The most common size is 39mm (about 1.5 inches).
- Brass and copper can be done in 30mm, 39mm, & 47mm.
- Silver can be done as 18mm (1/10-oz), 25mm (1/4-oz), 30mm (1/2-oz), or 39mm (1-oz).
- Gold can be done as 16mm (1/10-oz), 20mm (1/4-oz), 25mm (1/2-oz), or 30mm (1-oz).

What different finishes are available?

- We offer mirror (proof-like), dull mint luster (middle), or frosted (bullion) finishes.
  1. A mirror finish is the highest grade we offer and works well for medallions that are intended to be displayed.
  2. A dull mint luster finish is a mid-grade finish which provides a higher contrast shine than frosted at a better price than mirror.
  3. A frosted finish is less showy and more cost-effective, which makes it great for large quantities, lower budgets, and medallions that will be used for marketing or fundraising purposes.

What other minting options are available?

- Engraving: We can engrave simple text onto your medallions if you’re looking to make distinctions while using the same dies. The most common

KILO SILVER BAR VALCAMBI

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