PUNCHEON, PUNCHIN, or Punchion, a little block or piece of steel, on one end whereof is some figure, letter, or mark, engraven either in creux or relievo, impressions whereof are taken on metal, or some other matter, by striking it with a hammer on the end not engraven. There are various kinds of these puncheons used in the mechanical arts; such, for instance, are those of the goldsmiths, cutters, pewterers, &c.
The puncheon, in coining, is a piece of iron steeled, whereon the engraver has cut in relievo the several figures, arms, effigy, inscription, &c. that there are
to be in the matrices, wherewith the species are to be marked. Minters distinguish three kinds of puncheons, according to the three kinds of matrices to be made; that of the effigy, that of the cross or arms, and that of the legend or inscription. The first includes the whole portrait in relievo; the second are small, such only containing a piece of the cross or arms; for instance, a fleur-de-lis, an harp, a coronet, &c. by the assemblage of all which the entire matrix is formed. The puncheons of the legend only contain each one letter, and serve equally for the legend on the effigy side and the cross side. See the article COINAGE.
For the puncheons used in stamping the matrices wherein the types of printing characters are cast, see LETTER-Foundry.
PUNCHEON is also used for several iron tools, of various sizes and figures, used by the engravers en creux on metals. Seal-engravers particularly use a great number for the several pieces of arms, &c. to be engraven, and many stamp the whole seal from a single puncheon.
PUNCHEON is also a common name for all those iron instruments used by stone-cutters, sculptors, blacksmiths, &c. for the cutting, inciding, or piercing their several matters.
Those of sculptors and statuary serve for the repairing of statues when taken out of the moulds. The locksmiths use the greatest variety of puncheons; some for piercing hot, others for piercing cold; some flat, some square, some round, others oval, each to pierce holes of its respective figure in the several parts of locks.