VOCABULARY TERM: CANNELURING MACHINE

Canneluring Machine. A mechanical device for applying a groove to the edge of blanks prior to their being struck; the groove usually contains ornamentation - engrailment - or lettering. Blanks are rolled under pressure between two grooved bars, one of which has lettering or design engraved therein. The lettering or ornamentation is imparted to the edge of the blank in its depressed groove while the edge is somewhat smoothed (the edge may then become slightly smashed by the collar when the piece is subsequently struck in the coining press).

The word comes from the French, canneler, a groove especially in a cylinder. An early canneluring machine for coining purposes was invented by Jean Castaing, thus some are called castaing machines. Modern upsetting machines accomplish a similar smoothing of the edge (but without the groove) and were undoubtedly derived from these early edge-treating machines. See edge, engrailment.

Looking for the meaning of a numismatic word, or the description of a term?  Try the Newman Numismatic Portal's Numismatic Dictionary at: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionary

Or if you would like a printed copy of the complete Encyclopedia, it is available. There are 1,854 terms, on 678 pages, in The Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Technology. Even running two a week would require more than 19 years to publish them all. If you would like an advance draft of this vital reference work it may be obtained from the author for your check of $50 sent postpaid. Dick Johnson, 139 Thompson Drive, Torrington, CT 06790.

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web