1. The coin's design is sketched out in the Royal Mint studio. 2. Coin designers then turn the designs into a special computer model, which is used to make the 'dies' – the tools used to stamp the design onto the coin. 3. Each die is polished by hand and struck up to six times to make sure every detail is perfect. The very precise machines at The Royal Mint mean that the coins can be very intricately designed. 4. Next, the three types of commemorative coin are struck: Proof, Brilliant Uncirculated and Bullion. Proofs are the highest standard of commemorative coin, then Brilliant Uncirculated coins and finally Bullion coins, which are a similar standard of finish to circulating coins. A 50p coin issued by the Royal Mint last year featuring Raymond Briggs creation The Snowman, to celebrate 40 years since the publication of the timeless classic Historically these coins were required in order to check the dies were working properly as well as for archival purposes. Nowadays however many more are struck especially for coin collectors. 5. The Proof, Brilliant Uncirculated and Bullion coins are each carefully checked over with special gloves and then the die is cleaned with air before it strikes the next coin. 6. Finally the Royal Mint uses a process called 'pad printing', where a machine actually prints permanent colour onto the coin, to make the drawings come to life. Pad printing creates high-quality intricate details on small, 3D or unusually-shaped products, so is perfect for coinage. It is also quick and relatively cost effective. Printing plates are prepared, etched with a series of tiny depressions that represent the coin's design. Special, highly concentrated inks of cyan, magenta, yellow and black are mixed to create the right colours and applied to the etched surfaces of the plates. Silicone pads are then lowered onto the plates, absorbing the ink. Finally, in a carefully sequenced process, the pads deposit the ink onto the coin face in successive layers until the image is complete. To make sure it doesn't fade or rub off, the ink is mixed with a hardener, which will give a durable finish. 7. In the packaging area, special gloves are worn by the Royal Mint workers who carefully check each coin and place it in its smart case. 8. Finally the coins are ready to fill shelves at The Royal Mint. All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility