Annealing

Annealing
The heating of a die or planchet to soften the metal before preparation of the die or striking of the coin.
Annealing is the process of heating the metal to the point where it changes the crystalline structure of the metal to the extent that the metal becomes softer and less prone to breakage.

Step 2: Annealing, Washing, and Drying

Because nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollars are all different sizes, so are their blanks. They're even a mix of different metals. But all blanks need to be prepared before they can be minted.
First, the blanks are heated in an annealing furnace to soften the metal. Then, they are run through a washer and dryer. This makes the blanks nice and shiny!
http://www.usmint.gov/kids/coinnews/mintingProcess
a blank over a flame. The blanks are then heated,
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