History

In 1784, Ralph Heaton I opened a brass business on Slaney Street in Birmingham. In 1808 the business moved to Shadwell Street and stayed there until 1812. In 1817, Ralph I gave his son, Ralph II, a shop on the corner of Bath Street and Shadwell Street after he had apprenticed as a die maker with Thomas Willetts. In 1847, the company became Heaton and Son, as Ralph II’s son, Ralph III, joined his business. Ralph II purchased equipment from the Soho Mint, which allowed the company to begin stamping currency. In 1853, the company name changed to Heaton and Sons as Ralph II’s other son, George, joined the company. In 1862 the company moved to Icknield Street. Heaton and Sons won a contract in 1987 to build and equip the Canton Mint. Two years later, on March 22, 1889, the company changed its name to The Birmingham Mint Limited. From 1911 to 1912, the Birmingham Mint lost its monopoly with Royal Mint coinage and had to share contracts with Kings Norton Metal Company. From the 1920s, the company’s coin production continuously dropped and produced more metal sheets and tubage. In 1988, the Birmingham Mint purchased the Green Duck Corporation in the United States. In 1991, IMI (formerly known as Kynoch Mint) took over Birmingham Mint site and changed the company name to IMI Birmingham Mint Ltd. In 1993, the company purchased Casino Tokens Ltd. in the United States. The company name was reverted back to The Birmingham Mint Ltd in 1998. In 2003, the company was acquired by JFT Law & Co. Ltd and Stirchley Machine Tools Ltd.