Holographic Coins

1996 Manx Platinum Quarter Noble - One of the World's First Holographic Coins

Holograms & Coins
Only as recently as 1996, did Pobjoy Mint produce the world's first holographic coin. At this stage, we do not know which specific coin was the very first, but we do know that Manx platinum nobles were issued in 1996, struck by Pobjoy.

Holographic Reproduction
Mass replication
An existing hologram can be replicated, either in an optical way similar to holographic recording, or in the case of surface relief holograms, by embossing. Surface relief holograms are recorded in photoresists or photothermoplastics, and allow cheap mass reproduction. Such embossed holograms are now widely used, for instance as security features on credit cards or quality merchandise. The Royal Canadian Mint, and others, even produce holographic gold and silver coinage through a complex stamping process.
The first step in the embossing process is to make a stamper by electrodeposition of nickel on the relief image recorded on the photoresist or photothermoplastic. When the nickel layer is thick enough, it is separated from the master hologram and mounted on a metal backing plate. The material used to make embossed copies consists of a polyester base film, a resin separation layer and a thermoplastic film constituting the holographic layer.
The embossing process can be carried out with a simple heated press. The bottom layer of the duplicating film (the thermoplastic layer) is heated above its softening point and pressed against the stamper so that it takes up its shape. This shape is retained when the film is cooled and removed from the press. In order to permit the viewing of embossed holograms in reflection, an additional reflecting layer of aluminium is usually added on the hologram recording layer.

• 1996 Manx Platinum Proof Quarter Noble
  

Coins Wanted
We make an active market in almost all world coins, collections or individual pieces, including holographic coins. If you have any of these coins to sell, please contact us, or post them to us for appraisal and offer.

If you want to find the value of a medallion or coin you own, please take a look at our page I've Found An Old Coin, What's It Worth?