The 2017 medals were long overdue, as everyone is aware. A lot of that is because it was a daunting task with all the different kinds, a larger total quantity than before, bi-metallic blanks, 4 new dies, Stonehenge versions, 600 inserts to print, organize, and sign, etc.
I don't want to be late on the 2018 medals. Also, I am trying to keep the 2nd half of the year entirely open for my own activities only. So that means I would like to get the 2018 medals done by the end of May. To make that happen, there are some things that can be done to streamline the production. Here are some recommendations:
1)
The 50mm brass, copper, and bimetallic medals are too hard to strike, and the bi-metallic blanks are hard to make. Even the 50mm solid silver 2-troy-oz version was difficult and had to be broad-struck. There is a nice relatively-new 50mm shield (reverse) die and it would make sense to find some way to use it for 2018. So I recommend that the only 2018 50mm medal be a 3-troy-oz 999 silver piece with a standard as-struck finish (semi-proof-like). The 3-troy-oz weight will mean that it will be 50% thicker, which will allow it to strike up better in collar.
2)
Antiquing can produce a nice look. But the sulfur-based compounds that I use for that often leave a splotchy toning pattern on silver (which is mitigated by the final burnishing). Of all the metals, I think antiquing on brass works the best. So I recommend that the only 2018 antiqued medal be 39mm brass.
3)
Color toning on silver is very unpredictable and often splotchy, as previously noted. Color toning on brass works pretty well, but can be hard to tell apart from color-toned copper. If the antiqued option was only available on brass, and the color-toned option was only available on copper, that would seem to make the most sense while reducing confusion.
4)
The Stonehenge 2L (silver) die has been polished a few too many times and the letters of "STONEHENGE" are getting pretty thin (shallow) nearest to the rim. The Stonehenge 1d (copper) die that I have has a crack in it. So I recommend that neither of those dies be used again.
5)
Repeated bead-blasting and proof-like polishing of a die will shorten its life. This doesn't matter for the obverse die since it is typically only used for the one year. But additional die costs can be avoided if the reverse (shield) die can be used over several years. As such, I recommend that only one strike finish be offered (not counting post-strike finishes). That recommended finish would be a semi-proof-like finish, somewhere between proof-like and satin in appearance. This would allow the dies to reach a natural surface finish equilibrium.
If all the above recommendations are enacted, resulting product options would be:
39mm brass semi-proof-like
39mm brass antiqued
39mm copper semi-proof-like
39mm copper color-toned
39mm silver semi-proof-like (1-troy-oz)
50mm silver semi-proof-like (3-troy-oz)
This plan would also allow me to spend some more time focusing on the design itself.
