QUOTE(Goetzdude @ Nov 21 2005, 08:41 PM)
Perhaps the easiest way to have you learn about the process is to have you google "French sand casting" or "sand casting". Do not get this process mixed up with the "Lost wax process" as they are two entirely different processes where as sand casting uses negative moulds placed together and the lost wax process uses a pattern.
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Sand casting has been used down through the ages, at least as far as numismatics is concerned, since the casting of Roman Aes Graves. I think I understand that particular process reasonably well without the need to review via google.
I was actually wondering if there was a methodology other than sand casting that was used for the medals you have been showing (such as centrifugally filled dies or ...other)? The surfaces seem far too good for traditional sand cast medals IMHO.
These medals you have been showing are truly exceptional if manufactured by sand casting. As I said, I would have great difficulty in concluding they were cast just by looking at the images. For starters, there's no obvious air bubble type surface pock marks normally associated with and typical of cast `creations'. Judging from modern cast `creations' I have seen, the manufacturers should perhaps step back a few decades and re-learn how Goetz managed to do it. The technology has very obviously been forgotten or perhaps just not applied in modern times.