Unminted

Unminted is an adjective meaning not minted, or not yet converted into coins, medals, or similar minted objects. It is used to describe coins, planchets, or issues that have been designed or prepared but have not passed through the minting process, or that were planned but never issued.

In numismatic practice, unminted can describe a coin design that exists only as dies or as dies that were never used to strike coins; an unissued coin that was planned but canceled; an unminted planchet that awaits striking; or a prototype or pattern that was never released. Unminted coins can become rare if the stock survives and some examples are later struck or released.

The term also appears in modern contexts, especially with digital assets, where minting refers to generating tokens on a blockchain. In that sense, unminted describes tokens that have not yet been created or issued in the supply, or smart contract functions that are yet to mint.

Etymology involves the un- prefix attached to minted, with minted tracing back to historical coinage terms derived from Old French and Latin roots associated with money and the act of coin production. The term remains largely specialized to numismatics, though it can be understood in general use as meaning not yet produced or released.

See also Mint, Planchet, Pattern coin, Unissued coin, Coin minting, Token minting.