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What a mint is and how coins are made
A mint is a factory that makes coins. It cuts blanks, stamps designs, and counts the result. A government mint makes legal coins. A private mint makes rounds and bars.
A mint is a factory that makes coins.
What happens inside
Metal is made into a strip or a planchet — a blank. What a planchet is. The blank is stamped between two dies. That puts the design on both sides. Extra metal may form a rim. Some coins get reeds, the ridges on the edge. Why coins have ridges. Then the mint counts, bags, and ships.
Proof coins are struck more carefully, often more than once, for collectors. Proof vs bullion.
Government mint vs private mint
A government mint, such as the United States Mint, makes legal tender coins. A private mint makes bars, rounds, and medals. Those can be honest metal. They are not government coins. Government vs generic. Authorized purchasers.
Mint marks
A small letter shows which plant struck the coin. P, D, S, W, and older letters like CC and O are US examples. Where is the mint mark?
Errors
If a blank is wrong, or a die is damaged, or a strike is off-center, you get an error. Real errors are uncommon. Most things people call errors are damage. Error-coin hype. Where coins began.
More on the coin and money library.