Die striking, often simply called stamping, turns a flat piece of metal into a relief. The die carries the engraved design, a press drives it into the blank, and the metal takes the shape of the engraving: lines and lettering stand up, the fields between them sink.
Struck medals, flat keyrings and many badges are made this way. On an enamel pin, the recessed fields are later filled with colour; on a struck medal or an all-metal pin, the relief alone carries the design.
How Die Striking Works
Mints show the principle. The Royal Mint explains in its guide to how coins are made that an engraving machine cuts the design into steel to make the dies, that a blanking press punches discs from a metal strip, and that the dies strike these blanks with around 60 tonnes of pressure.
Pins and keyrings work on the same principle. A steel die stamps the design into a flat metal blank, the recessed fields can be filled with enamel, and the piece is then polished and plated in gold, silver or another finish.
Each design needs its own die. Outline, relief and colour fields are part of that tool, so changing them after the sample usually means reworking it.
Where Die Striking Is Used
Coins are the classic case, and medals followed. The American Numismatic Association notes in its account of how a medal is made that striking became the preferred method for medals, while casting is mostly kept for art medals and private commissions.
In merchandise, die striking is the base of soft enamel and hard enamel pins, which differ only in how the surface is finished after the enamel is baked. Flat keyrings with a crest or logo are struck the same way, and all-metal pins without colour, often used for service awards, rely on the relief alone.
Die Striking vs Die Casting
Both processes use steel tools, but they shape metal in different states. Die striking presses a solid blank, while die casting forces molten zinc alloy into a steel mould under pressure.
Striking gives crisp, coin-like lines and lettering in a shallow relief, which suits 2D designs. Casting allows depth, rounded forms, cut-outs and irregular outlines, which is why trophies, mascots and stadiums are usually cast. Our guides to custom medals and custom keyrings compare both processes product by product.
What a Die-Struck Design Needs
Striking puts limits on fine detail. At Am Ball, struck pieces are held to about 0.15 mm on the outline and 0.1 mm on recessed detail lines, with enamel fields 0.4 to 0.6 mm deep.
A line or gap narrower than that will not come out the same way on every piece, so keep important lines and gaps comfortably wider. Because the relief is shallow, very fine text and colour gradients work better as print. Our guide on designing an enamel pin for production lists what to check before the artwork goes to the factory.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are medals struck?
The dies are mounted in a press that strikes both sides of the blank at once. The American Numismatic Association describes the blank being struck repeatedly and annealed between strikes to soften the metal again. The medal is then finished, for example plated in gold or silver, or given a patina.
Are all metal pins die-struck?
No. Soft and hard enamel pins start from a die-struck base and differ only in the finishing step. Printed pins skip the enamel fill and carry printed graphics under a clear epoxy dome, and pins with a 3D shape are usually die cast.
How long does a die-struck order take?
On average, a sample takes 2 to 3 weeks and mass production about 4 weeks, depending on complexity and volume, with shipping on top. These are typical Am Ball values, not promises, and orders usually start around 300 pieces. Our guide to custom merchandise lead times shows how to find the right time to order.
Can die-struck pins and medals be made in Europe?
Yes. Every metal product can be made at European partner factories, die-struck pieces included, usually at a higher price. Europe is not automatically the better-quality choice: the result depends on the factory and its quality control. A European factory shortens transport to a European delivery address, while sea freight from Asia can take up to 3 months, depending on route and season.
<nav class="article-breadcrumb"><a href="https://www.amball.com/magazine">Magazine</a><span class="article-breadcrumb__sep">/</span><a href="https://www.amball.com/glossary">Glossary</a><span class="article-breadcrumb__sep">/</span><span class="article-breadcrumb__current">Die Striking</span></nav> <h1 class="article-h1">Die Striking</h1> <p class="article-byline"><span class="cluster-badge">Craftsmanship & Durability</span> · Updated November 2, 2026</p> <div class="article-intro"><p>Die striking is a metal-forming process in which a hardened steel die presses a design into a flat metal blank, leaving raised and recessed areas. It is how coins are minted and how die-struck pins, medals and flat keyrings get their crisp lines and lettering.</p></div> <ul><li>Die striking shapes solid metal: an engraved steel die presses the design into a flat blank, and the metal is never melted, which is what separates it from die casting.</li><li>It suits flat designs with clear outlines, such as crests, logos and lettering on pins, medals and keyrings, while 3D shapes and cut-outs are usually die cast.</li><li>Outline, relief and colour fields are fixed in the die, so settle them before the sample: changing them later usually means reworking the tool.</li></ul><p>Die striking, often simply called stamping, turns a flat piece of metal into a relief. The die carries the engraved design, a press drives it into the blank, and the metal takes the shape of the engraving: lines and lettering stand up, the fields between them sink.</p><p>Struck medals, flat keyrings and many badges are made this way. On an <a href="https://www.amball.com/glossary/enamel-pin">enamel pin</a>, the recessed fields are later filled with colour; on a struck medal or an all-metal pin, the relief alone carries the design.</p><h2>How Die Striking Works</h2><p>Mints show the principle. The Royal Mint explains in its <a href="https://www.royalmint.com/collect/numismatic-interest/making-the-coins-in-your-pocket/">guide to how coins are made</a> that an engraving machine cuts the design into steel to make the dies, that a blanking press punches discs from a metal strip, and that the dies strike these blanks with around 60 tonnes of pressure.</p><p>Pins and keyrings work on the same principle. A steel die stamps the design into a flat metal blank, the recessed fields can be filled with enamel, and the piece is then polished and plated in gold, silver or another finish.</p><p>Each design needs its own die. Outline, relief and colour fields are part of that tool, so changing them after the sample usually means reworking it.</p><h2>Where Die Striking Is Used</h2><p>Coins are the classic case, and medals followed. The American Numismatic Association notes in its <a href="https://www.money.org/money-museum/virtual-exhibits/mia/case1-3">account of how a medal is made</a> that striking became the preferred method for medals, while casting is mostly kept for art medals and private commissions.</p><p>In merchandise, die striking is the base of <a href="https://www.amball.com/glossary/soft-enamel-pin">soft enamel</a> and <a href="https://www.amball.com/glossary/hard-enamel-pin">hard enamel</a> pins, which differ only in how the surface is finished after the enamel is baked. Flat keyrings with a crest or logo are struck the same way, and all-metal pins without colour, often used for service awards, rely on the relief alone.</p><h2>Die Striking vs Die Casting</h2><p>Both processes use steel tools, but they shape metal in different states. Die striking presses a solid blank, while die casting forces molten zinc alloy into a steel mould under pressure.</p><p>Striking gives crisp, coin-like lines and lettering in a shallow relief, which suits 2D designs. Casting allows depth, rounded forms, cut-outs and irregular outlines, which is why trophies, mascots and stadiums are usually cast. Our guides to <a href="https://www.amball.com/magazine/custom-medals-design-and-production">custom medals</a> and <a href="https://www.amball.com/magazine/custom-keyrings-for-clubs-and-brands">custom keyrings</a> compare both processes product by product.</p><h2>What a Die-Struck Design Needs</h2><p>Striking puts limits on fine detail. At Am Ball, struck pieces are held to about 0.15 mm on the outline and 0.1 mm on recessed detail lines, with enamel fields 0.4 to 0.6 mm deep.</p><p>A line or gap narrower than that will not come out the same way on every piece, so keep important lines and gaps comfortably wider. Because the relief is shallow, very fine text and colour gradients work better as print. Our guide on <a href="https://www.amball.com/magazine/how-to-design-an-enamel-pin-for-production">designing an enamel pin for production</a> lists what to check before the artwork goes to the factory.</p><h2 id="frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions</h2><h3>How are medals struck?</h3><p>The dies are mounted in a press that strikes both sides of the blank at once. The American Numismatic Association describes the blank being struck repeatedly and annealed between strikes to soften the metal again. The medal is then finished, for example plated in gold or silver, or given a patina.</p><h3>Are all metal pins die-struck?</h3><p>No. Soft and hard enamel pins start from a die-struck base and differ only in the finishing step. Printed pins skip the enamel fill and carry printed graphics under a clear epoxy dome, and pins with a 3D shape are usually die cast.</p><h3>How long does a die-struck order take?</h3><p>On average, a sample takes 2 to 3 weeks and mass production about 4 weeks, depending on complexity and volume, with shipping on top. These are typical Am Ball values, not promises, and orders usually start around 300 pieces. Our guide to <a href="https://www.amball.com/magazine/custom-merchandise-lead-times">custom merchandise lead times</a> shows how to find the right time to order.</p><h3>Can die-struck pins and medals be made in Europe?</h3><p>Yes. Every metal product can be made at European partner factories, die-struck pieces included, usually at a higher price. Europe is not automatically the better-quality choice: the result depends on the factory and its quality control. A European factory shortens transport to a European delivery address, while sea freight from Asia can take up to 3 months, depending on route and season.</p><hr class="faq-end"> <section class="related-section"><h2>Related Glossary Terms</h2><div class="related-grid"><a href="https://www.amball.com/glossary/soft-enamel-pin" class="related-card"><p class="related-label">Craftsmanship & Durability</p><p class="related-title">Soft Enamel Pin</p><p class="related-snippet">A soft enamel pin is a die-struck metal pin left unpolished after the enamel fill, keeping the raised metal outlines visible for a textured, hand-finished look.</p></a><a href="https://www.amball.com/glossary/hard-enamel-pin" class="related-card"><p class="related-label">Craftsmanship & Durability</p><p class="related-title">Hard Enamel Pin</p><p class="related-snippet">A hard enamel pin is a die-struck metal pin whose enamel fill is polished flat and smooth after baking, giving it a glass-like, jewelry-grade finish.</p></a></div></section> <section class="from-blog-section"><h2>From the Magazine</h2><a class="from-blog-link" href="https://www.amball.com/magazine/soft-enamel-vs-hard-enamel-pins">Soft Enamel vs. Hard Enamel Pins: What's the Difference?</a><a class="from-blog-link" href="https://www.amball.com/magazine/quality-control-metal-merchandise-checklist">Quality Control for Metal Merchandise: A Checklist</a></section>
