minter

A minter is a person or institution responsible for producing coins or tokens. In traditional coinage, minters were officials who operated the mint, overseeing the design, engraving, alloying, and striking of coins. The title often referred to the chief officer in charge of a nation’s mint, such as the Master of the Mint. Duties could include assay, quality control, and ensuring adherence to legal tender standards.

In modern practice, the mint is typically a government agency charged with producing circulating currency and official medals, and it may also handle commemorative or bullion coins. Many countries employ private or semi-private mints for specific contracts, such as bullion coins or collectibles. The minter may supervise production, from metal preparation and die creation to minting processes, finish quality, and distribution of the completed coins, along with the application of security features and appropriate denominations.

In digital finance, the term minter refers to a participant who creates new digital assets. In blockchain networks that use minting, new coins or tokens are issued according to the protocol, often by designated participants such as validators or governance mechanisms. In the context of non-fungible tokens, the minter is the user who creates an NFT by recording it on the blockchain, typically at a minting event that establishes initial ownership and metadata.

Etymology: The word derives from the mint, the facility where coins are produced, and reflects the historical authority over coinage.