The U.S. Mint’s research and development into alternative coinage metals for six U.S. coin denominations includes consideration of whether additional cost savings could result from the acquisition of ready-to-strike planchets rather than coinage strip from which the Mint would punch planchets.
Currently, only the Lincoln cent is struck on finished, ready-to-strike planchets supplied by a lone vendor, Jarden Zinc Products in Greeneville, Tenn. Planchets for the 5-cent coin, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar and dollars are finished from raw blanks the Denver and Philadelphia Mints punch from coinage strip that is currently provided by Olin Brass in East Alton, Ill., and PMX Industries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
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Currently, only the Lincoln cent is struck on finished, ready-to-strike planchets supplied by a lone vendor, Jarden Zinc Products in Greeneville, Tenn. Planchets for the 5-cent coin, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar and dollars are finished from raw blanks the Denver and Philadelphia Mints punch from coinage strip that is currently provided by Olin Brass in East Alton, Ill., and PMX Industries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?action=post;board=8.0