Custom Minting. Minting for hire, that is, manufacturing coins or medals for any customer. For private mints this is their entire work. For national mints, this is the work done in addition to producing their national coinage. Custom minting includes making the dies and striking coins and medals for other countries, or medals for private organizations, firms or even for individuals.

In the past, countries without their own national mints had to turn to more industrial countries to strike their coins and medals. Prior to the establishment of the United States Mint in 1792, America had turned to England for provisional coins and to France for medals. After the U.S. Civil War the U.S. Mint struck medals for Latin American countries, and, coins beginning in 1875.

While provisional custom minting existed in the 18th century and before, it really began with Mathew Boulton and his Soho Mint in 1797. He solved many technological problems, created the machinery to produce blanks, strike medals and do modern coining. In effected he created the foundation for all private minting. See private issue, private mint, national mint.