PERTH MINT COIN ENGRAVER CLAIRE ROWSON

Working with ludicrously expensive items requires a high degree of trust.

And Perth Mint coin engraver Claire Rowson is trusted with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of precious metals every day.

Every time the 27-year-old walks in and out of her workplace she is subject to airport-style security.

“That was strange at first but I’m used to it now,” she said. “I made a 1kg gold coin for the (Queen’s diamond) jubilee which sold for $162,000. It’s pretty interesting knowing what you’re working with is going to be worth so much.”

Ms Rowson, a fine arts graduate, said no two projects were the same. Her role is to produce commemorative coins using precious metals, rather than the currency coins in daily use.

“Every single job we get we get is different on each stage of the production process,” Ms Rowson said.

“We are given a graphic and draw vectors, then we use software to sculpt in 3D.”

Ms Rowson said though some traditions remained in the industry, new technology had revolutionised her work.

“We can do things to a higher standard in a shorter period of time,” she said.

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