Minting

''This article is about the Minting skill. For tips to train the skill, visit Minting training (F2P) (P2P)''

Minting, (released on 27 May 2009, and again on 29 June 2009,) is a economic and profitable production skill. It was released twice, (the first time it was released it was removed quickly due to a major coding error.) Using the skill, members can turn Nuggets into gold coins to make a substancial profit, although at low levels, the skill is not very profitable. NPC's involved in minting refer to Runescape gold pieces as RSGP. This is a reference to professional references to real world currencies, such as the GBP (Great British pound) and the USD (United states dollar.)

Until level 50, Minting produces a very low amount of profit. The process of minting is slow and produced about 10k an hour at level 1. Using the best methods at level 99, however, players can make over 1,500,000 coins every hour, making it the most profitable skill. The current minimum to be ranked (at approximatly rank 455,584) on the Hiscores is level 30. As of 13 October 2010, 7,998 players have achieve 99 in the skill.

Although profitable at high levels, Minting has a very slow xp rate. This is because, as stated by Jagex, they did not want the slow production of coins getting out of hand and ruining the economy. Also, at lower levels, Minting turns out to be a waste of time rather then a profitable action.

Development history
Minting was released officially on the 27th of May, 2009. In less than 2 hours, however, the entire system was rollbacked. The reason was due to a major coding error in the system. The error was that no matter what level, players alwaysed produced 5,000 coins, the highest amount per nugget (available at level 99).which meant that a huge amount of gold coins were plunged into the economy. (This was removed after the system was rollbacked.) The skill was released again after a month, this time fixed, and without a coding error.

Game history
Minting was founded by a Saradominist warrior in the God Wars, in the third age, when the Saradominist fighteres were running out of supplies and weaponary, and were in dire need of money to fund their cause. Although his identity is currently unknown, after the God Wars ended, he was dubbed "The Fief" by Saradomin, made immortal and given rights over the Economy. The Fief is currently accessible at level 99 Minting in his office.

After the Fief was forced to swear an oath to Saradomin that he would not use his immortality against the good of Mankind and that the economy must always remain stable, The fief employed upon the ordinary adventurer to cast coins for himself. Although, the Fief says he watches over mankind all the time, and makes sure the circulations of RSGP does not go out of control.

Mintable items
When Minting was first released, on 27 May, the stats guide showed that gold bars, gold ore, gold amulets, nuggets passively found during panning, and other gold items found across Runescape could be used to create coins. When the skill was removed and released again in June, the list of mintable items were reduced down to Nuggets. A more affective way of obtaining nuggets was also released in the form of the Gargantuan Mines.

The Seven Gargantuan mines
The Seven Gargantuan mines were released along with the skill (the second release.) The Mines can be found in the Gargatuan desert (in Gargantua.) This is the first ever underground mine in Runescape. In the mine, there are seven sectors which are accesable at different minting levels. All of the mines contain a nugget rock, which, like the rune essence, has an infinite supply.

Carats
Although all of the nugget rocks have an infinite supply, the purity (and therefore the amount of coins that can be minted out of a piece of that respective nugget rock,) changes. The purity is measured in the real-life gold purity scale of Carats. The different carat nuggets look the same, but have different examine texts ("Bits of gold rock. (x Carats)")

Mine carts
Due to the scarity of a bank, a useful system of mine carts operate. Only one Mine cart system is available in the first mine, two in the second mine, three in the third mine and so on, until seven in the seventh mine. These mine carts can hold 28 ores (of anything) each, and can be sent to deposit the ore at the bank, and then return. The process takes 3 minuites, so therefore having another mine cart as a backup can be useful.


 * Mining this will give you swamp tar.

Also, another useful hint is, that in the town of Gargantua, there are hidden trapdoors which go down to a certain sector, so walking all the way down is not neccesary.

Nuggets are not tradable. There is NO way of obtaining nuggets through the grand exchange.

Mining nuggets give 1 Mining xp and 0.25 Minting xp.

Other ways of obtaining nuggets

 * After the Digsite quest is complete, players can use the panning tray to find nuggets. This is really slow and far from a bank. This way still gives 0.25 minting xp.