MELBOURNE, Fla. – It’s one of the most iconic moments of the Super Bowl. Team captains and referees gathering at the 50-yard line for the coin toss. This will decide how the game begins.
But did you know the official Super Bowl Flip Coin is produced in Melbourne, Florida?
The Highland Mint opened in the early 1980s and has been flipping official NFL Super Bowl coins for more than 30 years. It all starts with melting silver and gold up to 1750 degrees and pouring them into molds.
The slabs of metal are extruded and turned into strips.
“From there, we strike it into blanks, and rim the coins and then we take them to the presses,” Assembly Supervisor Garrett Snyder said.
That’s where the official NFL Super Bowl designs are pressed into the coin on each side.
The 49ers and Chiefs team logos are on the front. Super Bowl 58 logo with the trophy are on the back along with commissioner Roger Goodells signature etched into the coin.
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Throughout the process, the coins are cleaned and polished and inspected.
One of the most important parts of making the limited-edition coins is the striking of the numbers for authenticity.
“We have number zero and we have number one. Zero’s for overtime, one is the one flipped before the game.. The zero flip coin has only been used one time in 2017 during Super Bowl 51 between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons. It’s really neat because we are the only ones who create the coins, and this one is now at a hall of fame museum,” said Snyder.
News 6 anchor and Insider Guide Crystal Moyer got the opportunity to strike the zero and one coin that was sent to the NFL as the official flip coins.
The Highland Mint only produces 10,000 for each game, and they start producing the coins as soon as the Super Bowl teams are announced.
“It’s incredible, nobody else does it and it’s cool because we’re such a smaller company and even locals don’t know what we do here,” Snyder said. “How did we get this opportunity? Because of our track record for being a quick turnaround and making a quality product.”
Snyder said creating these iconic coins gives him a sense of pride in his line of work and as a Central Floridian.
“I’m proud to be a part of it, definitely,” Snyder said. “Being there at the game, you see it, you have a memory. But when you have something physical in front of you to bring back that memory, it makes it a lot more special.”
Along with custom coins for national sports teams, The Highland Mint also creates the official World Series Coins.
Snyder is a second-generation worker at The Highland Mint. His dad, Darin, started working there when the company first started.
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