U.S. MINT AUTOMATES SLABBING WITH PARTNERSHIP

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V23 2020 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 23, Number 13, March 29, 2020, Article 24

Meanwhile, PCGS ups the ante with new robotic technology and a direct partnership with the U.S. Mint. Here's the press release.

The United States Mint (Mint) unveiled today the official rollout of a long-anticipated upgrade to its automation program. With the help of world-class experts at Japan's Yaskawa Corporation and the Progressional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), freshly-minted U.S. coins are whisked directly from the coin press to waiting graders, then within seconds hermetically sealed in labeled slabs for the worldwide numismatic market.

"We knew we had to do something to meet the increased demands of the market. We had to up our game to stay competitive" said the Mint's Chief Coining Engineer Douglas Smallerstaff.

Collector interest in third-party graded coins has swelled in recent years. making it hard for everyone involved to keep up. "Shipping to our grading facilities delayed time to market by days," said PCGS Vice President John Booker. "We decided to close the gap by setting up shop right at the source."

"It took many iterations to finally get everything right," Smallerstaff said. "At first the bots dropped every third coin on the floor." There was also a major problem with the literally "hot off the press" coins partially melting the slabs. The engineers added an air hose to blow on each one, like a birthday cake candle. "Sometimes it sounds like the Bronx Cheer, but we've learned to tune it out."

Booker notes that the problems didn't stop with the machines - "It was the people factor, too. Sometimes the line moved too fast. It looked like the VitaMeataVegamin episode from "I Love Lucy". We gave the graders multiple controls to direct the process. Grader Second Class Tyler Vannity told a reporter, "We have a joystick in our hand and click and hold it until a counter we see in the corner of the microscope hits the right grade. And we have a foot peddle to slow or speed up the assembly line. It's like a Peloton for coin geeks."

U.S. Mint Director David Ryder adds, "All 374 million 2020 Lincoln Cents have been slabbed by PCGS. None will be issued for circulation since nobody uses them anyway. We got 35 cents apiece, which paid for the cost of development and left $45 million for the U.S. Treasury. And a little something for the Mint marketing budget and 'coffee fund'. When travel restrictions lift we plan to book marketing trips to every major city in the world. And Las Vegas. Twice."