Dedicated to the Pursuit of...
From Humble Beginnings
Beaverworks Mint is not simply a mint — it is the result of a single artist’s unwavering commitment to craftsmanship, integrity, and country. Founded and operated by a Canadian artist who dared to take on what few would attempt, Beaverworks was built from the ground up to become Western Canada’s only operating private mint.
This journey did not begin in a garage — it began in a renovated industrial studio above a book bindery, where our founder spent four years building the foundation of what would become Beaverworks Mint. That space was customized with care to suit the demanding needs of precision coin production. But with only two weeks’ notice, everything came crashing down when the landlord faced commercial foreclosure. Forced to vacate suddenly, he moved his life and tools into his sister’s unheated garage, and built a shed by hand to store what wouldn’t fit.
It was during this time, amidst upheaval and uncertainty, that a third order came in for the Golden Arrow coin — a project featuring the crest of the Royal Canadian Air Force, paired with elite packaging our founder had spent months perfecting. For a brief moment, it seemed like hope had returned.
But the momentum was short-lived. Whether it was due to the exceptional quality of his work or the RCAF crest challenging the status quo, calls were likely made. His subcontracted minting partner — the only means of production — withdrew support, and with that, his ability to fulfill orders and sustain a livelihood vanished.
Unable to find another subcontractor who could meet his uncompromising standards, he came to a painful realization: to keep his promise to Canada and the RCAF to complete the collection, he would have to build a mint from scratch.
So, in that unheated garage, over four relentless years, he meticulously researched every aspect of minting. He engineered every solution himself, solving problem after problem. When the world shut down due to COVID, it had no effect on him — he had already been shut out, long before.
There were low points...
Started in a Canadian Garage
A 400-ton hydraulic press, fabricated from the ground up, obtained the steel plates, ground, sanded, polished then engraved symbols of the RCAF on one plate and engraved symbols dedicated to Vimy Ridge, the battle and our fallen on the other plate.
A laser system adapted from 2D to 3D.
Polishing, striking, blank-making, die engraving — all learned, built, and mastered in isolation.
As the mint progressed, a new opportunity emerged — a chance to upgrade to professional, calibrated systems. The original 400-ton press he had built was no longer required when he acquired and installed a full suite of commercial minting equipment:
A 300-ton calibrated embossing press
A 50-ton blanking press
A rimming machine
A precision roller mill
A vibratory tumbler polisher
A 3-phase industrial kiln
Every system was integrated and calibrated in-house, forming a complete coin production ecosystem from start to finish.
In every aspect of this highly specialized operation — from electroplating to 2D layout design, from 3D sculpting to blanking, striking, and final packaging — Joseph Green does it all. The only exception comes in the rare instance when ultra-high-end sculpting is needed; in those cases, Joseph calls on his go-to master sculptor William Woodruff, a veteran of the Royal Canadian Mint with a career’s worth of experience at the highest level.
They mocked it. They dismissed it.
Moved to a larger garage
On the day his first coin — forged and struck for the Commanding General of the Royal Canadian Air Force — emerged from the press, she quietly left this world. She never got to hold hers.
During this struggle, one of his collectors offered a lifeline — a financial loan to get the mint off the ground. It was a critical act of support in a time when support was rare.
Then tragedy struck. His father — a retired fighter pilot, lifelong supporter, and the man who raised him after he lost his mother at age eight — passed away a day after his birthday. He was the moral compass, the one who instilled a rare sense of honour and discipline. His passing didn’t weaken the mission. It made the promise non-negotiable.
“I either keep my promise or I die trying.”
Just as he was about to collapse from the burden, a primary financial backer stepped in. Her belief kept the dream alive. But fate dealt one more blow: on the very day he struck his first finished coin, she passed away. She never saw the coin she helped bring to life.
Today, he works alone, day in and day out, with only his dog — Molly McButtercup — by his side. The studio is so advanced, so complex, that training someone from scratch would take years. Even explaining the work is near impossible, adding to the isolation.
Yet out of that isolation comes something remarkable. To hold a finished coin — forged from silver he processed from bullion into polished blanks, struck with dies he engraved and electroplated, pressed in machines he installed, and packaged in materials he designed — is to hold a miracle of perseverance.
The mint is now fully operational. A small backlog remains — one that will be fulfilled as skillsets are further refined and as supplies arrive. This is not the end of the journey, but the beginning of Beaverworks Mint’s legacy.
More than coins, these are testaments to commitment, artistry, and the power of never giving up.
“I’m tired of financially struggling through this technical startup phase. I want to land on the airfield of success with this mint. I’ve given everything. I don’t even have a kitchen, bathroom, or running water here — and that’s okay. I’ve always guided this mission by the axiom: whatever it takes to do this, I’ll do. Now, all I want is to create beautiful works of art — to have them be welcomed, appreciated, and to succeed not just artistically, but also as a high-performance business.”
This is Beaverworks Mint. Built from nothing. Forged with purpose. Minted for Canada.
