My job: Golden chance to make money

Karl Lindridge, now a Mint Master, started in jewellery. Photo / New Zealand Mint

Name: Karl Lindridge
Age: 45
Role: Mint Master of New Zealand Mint and operations manager.
Working hours: 50 hours a week, including evening work to coincide with overseas hours of work.
Quals: Trade certificate in Jewellery and Bracelet Making (there are overseas qualifications in the study of metals).

Describe what you do.

I oversee all areas within New Zealand Mint, from mint jewellery design, such as Boh Runga's jewellery, to production of NZ Mint commemorative gold and silver coins and bullion. The coins are sold around the world to collectors and businesses wanting gift coins. We also trade bullion products (gold coins and bars).

As overseer of the mint I follow everything from design through to manufacturing, quality, booking gold and silver. This includes the actual minting of the coin. There is quite a niche in Europe for gift-packaged commemorative coins so I'm very involved in packaging too.

I come from a jewellery background so I'm also involved in overseeing the design, manufacture and production of the jewellery.

I have been in the business for 27 years and am now a Mint Master.

What is a mint?

A mint is a place that manufactures coin and medallions. NZ Mint is the only mint in New Zealand, but we don't make the circulation coin in your wallets. That is made overseas by the Royal Mint (UK) and Royal Mint (Canada).

We currently employ 28 people, including two sales people in Europe and one in China. In the last four or five years we've had new ownership, leading to developments including a new building, production facility and bullion exchange.

In the future we plan to become more of a tourist attraction; a place where people can touch precious metals and learn about minting coins.

Why this?

I really just fell into the jewellery apprenticeship. I was mechanically minded and liked tech drawing so I applied for a diamond tool lathe trainee job with Abbey International, a large jewellery manufacturing company. Halfway through the interview I realised they were talking about a jewellery apprenticeship. They said the tool-making job had gone and suggested a jewellery apprenticeship instead.

How did you move from jewellery making to Mint Master?

Abbey International was unusual because it covered every facet of the trade, so over time I went from specialising in making bracelets to casting, working with jade, and making rings. This meant I learned all aspects of the business and constantly had change. The owner also owned NZ Mint and so I eventually moved on to minting coins and medallions.

It is quite a unique skill set in New Zealand. There is a lot involved in getting a perfect coin. When the person I learned minting from retired, I found it hard at times to work through problems because I was still learning. I wouldn't always know if it was my approach that was wrong or whether it was an idiosyncrasy of the metal. I was helped a lot by visiting other mints overseas. I now enjoy passing on my knowledge to others.

What training and experience is helpful?

Minting is a mix of craft, tool-making and design industries, so experience in any of those areas is helpful.

What skills and qualities do you need?

You need to be a problem solver who pays attention to detail.

You need integrity and honesty because you're dealing with precious metals.

On the operation management side, you need to understand the processes and how they link together.

Best part of the job?

I love the challenge of watching something go from nothing to a finished product; we all get a kick out of that.

I love the variety in the work and the people. There is also something appealing about being a little Mint from New Zealand competing with the big boys overseas.

We sell truckloads of coins in Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine and we're starting to get sales in Asia too.

We've just done a big project in Bulgaria, designing and minting coins with images of national treasures. We produced 2000 three-coin sets.

Special one-off projects?

A great local one was the Everest 50th Anniversary coin of Edmund Hillary, which he endorsed and we sold around the world.

Advice to someone wanting to do same thing?

There are so many aspects to it. Approach a company like NZ Mint and ask to look around and see if there's an area that would suit you.

What do you think the future holds for coin as cash?

Because of the cost and demand for precious metals, governments are starting to talk about looking into other materials, such as ceramics.

We're moving into a cashless society and I believe our coin will fade out of circulation by the time our grandchildren are adults. But there will always be a market for commemorative coins and gifts, which is why the packaging is so important now.