UNITED STATES MINT FACILITIES

ByKen K

UNTED STATES MINT FACILITIES

I.

PHILADELPHIA MINT:   P 

1792

Congress passes the ‘Coinage Act’ authorizing the creation of a mint to manufacture coins representing American denominations (dollars and cents) to be used in place of coinage from other nations.  Philadelphia, the first capitol of the United States is chosen as the mint’s location.  The mint was located on 7th Street between Arch and Filbert Streets.  The mint produced copper Half-Cents and Cents, silver Half-Dimes, Dimes, Quarters, Half-Dollars, and Dollars as well as gold 2 ½ Dollar, 5 Dollar, and 10 Dollar coins.            

1833

Due to the increasing size of the nation, demand for coinage increased as well.  The Mint in Philadelphia moved to larger quarters at Juniper and Chestnut Streets.

1901

The Mint begins creating coins for dozens of other nations including Panama, the Philippines, and Cuba as well as increasing output for the United States.  As a result, even larger facilities were required.  The Mint moved to its’ newest location on Spring Garden Street.

1969

Despite the impressive productivity of the third Philadelphia Mint, time and new innovations had rendered its machinery and production processes inefficient.  The newest Philadelphia Mint was then opened on Independence Mall.         

II.

CHARLOTTE:  C   –   DAHLONEGA:  D   –   NEW ORLEANS:  O

1835-1904

Previously, in 1788, America’s first Gold Rush occurred in Cabarrus County, North Carolina.  Gold miners experienced problems converting their raw, unrefined gold into coinage they could trade for goods.  The same situation was experienced in northern Georgia with the discovery of gold there.  The Philadelphia Mint was weeks away, across Cherokee Indian territory.  In those days, the roads were little more than widened game trails.  Meanwhile, the United States imported gold from Britain and other countries and paid a fee for doing so.  Furthermore, the westward expansion of the United Stated and the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 resulted in a greater distance from the Philadelphia Mint’s ability to securely ship coinage there for commerce.  President Andrew Jackson would have none of this and at his urging, Congress passed a law authorizing the first three U.S. branch mints. 

  1.     Charlotte (produced only gold coins):   
  1. Type One Gold Dollar (1849-1853)
  2. Type Two Gold Dollar (1855)
  3. Type Three Gold Dollar (1857 and 1859)
  4. Classic Head Quarter Eagle (1838 and 1839)
  5. Liberty Head Quarter Eagle (1840-1860)
  6. Classic Head Half Eagle (1838 only)
  7. Liberty Head Half Eagle, Obverse Mint mark (1839 only)
  8. Liberty Head Half Eagle, Reverse Mint mark (1840-1861)
  • Dahlonega (also produced only gold coins):
  1. Type One Gold Dollar (1849-1854)
  2. Type Two Gold Dollar (1855)
  3. Type Three Gold Dollar (1856 and 1861)
  4. Classic Head Quarter Eagle (1839 only)
  5. Liberty Head Quarter Eagle (1840-1859)
  6. Three Dollar Gold Piece (1854 only)
  7. Classic Head Half Eagle (1838 only)
  8. Liberty Head Half Eagle, Obverse Mint mark (1839 only)
  9. Liberty Head Half Eagle, Reverse Mint mark (1840-1861)
  • New Orleans (produced the following coins):

                         Gold

  1. Type One Gold Dollar (1849-1853)
  2. Type Two Gold Dollar (1855)
  3. Classic Head Quarter Eagle (1839 only)
  4. Liberty Head Quarter Eagle (1840, 1842-43, 1845-47, 1850-52, 1854, 1856-57)
  5. Three Dollar Gold Piece (1854 only)
  6. Liberty Head Half Eagle (1840-47, 1851, 1854-57, 1892-94)
  7. Indian Head Half Eagle (1909 only)
  8. Liberty Head Eagle (1841-60, 1879-83, 1888, 1892-95, 1897, 1899, 1901, 1903-1904, 1906)
  9. Liberty Head Double Eagle (1850-1861, 1879)

                          Silver

  1. Three Cent Pieces (1851 only)
  2. Seated Liberty Half Dimes (1838-42, 1844, 1868-60)
  3. Seated Liberty Dimes (1838-43, 1845, 1849-60, 1891)
  4. Barber Dimes (1892-1903, 1905-1909)
  5. Seated Liberty Quarters (1840-44, 1847, 1849-60, 1891)
  6. Barber Quarters (1892-1909)
  7. Capped Bust Half Dollar (1839-1839)
  8. Seated Liberty Half Dollar (1840-61)
  9. Barber Half Dollar (1892-1909)
  10. Seated Liberty Dollar (1846, 1850, 1859-60)
  11. Morgan Dollars (1879-1904)

III.

SAN FRANCISCO:  S

1854

The discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1849 necessitated an additional U.S. Mint for the assaying of miner’s gold and conversion to coin.  To transfer gold across the country to Philadelphia presented too many risks as well as the time before any profit could be realized.  Therefore Congress approved legislation establishing a branch mint in California.

                         Gold

  1. Type One Gold Dollar (1854)
  2. Type Two Gold Dollar (1856)
  3. Type Three Gold Dollar (1857-70)
  4. Liberty Head Quarter Eagle (1854-74)
  5. Three Dollar Gold Piece (1855-70)
  6. Liberty Head Half Eagle (1854-74)
  7. Liberty Head Eagle (1854-74)
  8. Liberty Head Double Eagle (1854-1874)

1874

The Mint outgrows its small building and moves to a larger facility at 5th and Ferry Streets. The building resembles and ancient Greek Temple and would later become known as the “Granite Lady”.  

                         Non-Gold

  1. Cents – Starting 1908
  2. Nickels – Starting 1912
  3. Half-Dimes – Starting 1864
  4. Dimes – Starting 1856
  5. Quarters – Starting 1855
  6. Half Dollars – Starting 1855
  7. Dollars – Starting 1859
  8. Commemoratives – Starting 1915 (Panama-Pacific Exposition)

1906

The San Francisco earthquake and fire decimates the city.  The Mint survives due to its solid construction.  Minting is halted for just a short period of time.

1937

The Mint moves to its third, and current, location at 155 Hermann Street.

1955

Due to upgrades at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints, coin production is suspended.

1962

The San Francisco’s status is changed to an assay office.  

1965

Coining resumes as the Coinage Act of 1965 allows the San Francisco Assay office to produce Lincoln Cents.   

1968

The San Francisco Mint assumes all proof coin production from the Philadelphia Mint.   

1988

San Francisco regains its status as a branch mint.   

IV.

DENVER:  D

1858

Gold discovered along the Platte River near the city of Denver.

1861

Colorado created as a U.S. Territory by an Act of Congress.

1862

The mint in Denver is established by an Act of Congress on April 21st.  It was exclusively for the coinage of gold, however, the operations of the Mint were

confined to melting, refining, assaying, and stamping of bullion.

1863

Denver facility opens an assay office.

1895

Congress passes act providing for the establishment of a mint at Denver, for the coinage of gold and silver.

1904

The Denver Mint moves to a new building on West Colfax Avenue where it is still located today.

1906

Coin production begins:

                         Gold

  1. Indian Head Quarter Eagle (1911 and 1925)
  2. Three Dollar Gold Piece (1854 only)
  3. Liberty Head Half Eagle (1906-07)
  4. Indian Head Half Eagle (1908-11 and 1914)
  5. Liberty Head Eagle (1906-07)
  6. Indian Head Eagle (1908-11 and 1914)
  7. Liberty Head Double Eagle (1906-07)
  8. Saint Gaudens (1908-11, 1913-14, 1923-27)

                         Non-Gold

  1. Cents – Starting 1911
  2. Nickels – Starting 1912
  3. Dimes – Starting 1906
  4. Quarters – Starting 1906
  5. Half Dollars – Starting 1906
  6. Dollars – Starting 1921  

V.

CARSON CITY MINT:  CC

1859

The Comstock Lode of silver ore is discovered on Mount Davidson, a peak in the Virginia Range in Nevada (then western Utah Territory).  This was the first major discovery of silver ore in the United States, and named after American miner Henry Comstock.

1863

The Carson City Mint was established Congress on March 3rd  to serve the coinage needs brought about by the Comstock Lode, the largest silver strike in the nation’s history.

1864

Nevada becomes a state on October 31st, 1864.

1866

Groundbreaking ceremonies take place on July 18.  The cornerstone is laid on September 18th, but the building was not completed until December 13th, 1869. 

1869

The first coins roll off the solitary coin press known as (Press No. 1).  Coins minted at Carson City were:

                         Gold

  1. Liberty Head Half Eagle (1870-84, 1890-93)
  2. Liberty Head Eagle (1870-84, 1890-93)
  3. Liberty Head Double Eagle (1870-85, 1889-93)

Non-Gold

  1. Seated Liberty Dime (1871-1878)
  2. Twenty Cent Piece (1875-1876)
  3. Seated Liberty Quarter (1870-1878)
  4. Seated Liberty Half Dollar (1870-1878)
  5. Seated Liberty Dollar (1870-1873)
  6. Trade Dollar (1873-1885)
  7. Morgan Dollar (1878-85, 1889-93)

1899

The Carson City’s Mint formal mint status was withdrawn due to the drastic decline in mining on the Comstock.

VI.

FORT KNOX…?         (Honorable Mention)

1933

President Franklin D. Roosevelt issues Executive Order # 6102, which outlawed the private ownership of gold coins, gold bullion, and gold certificates by American Citizens, forcing them to sell them to the Federal Reserve.  As a result, the value of gold held by the Federal Reserve increased from $4 Billion to $12 Billion between 1933 and 1937.  This left the federal government with a large gold reserve and no place to store it. In 1936, the U.S. Treasury Department began construction of the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on land transferred from the military. The Gold Vault was completed in December 1936 for US $560,000. The site is located on what is now Bullion Boulevard at the intersection of Gold Vault Road. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, in recognition of its significance in the economic history of the United States and its status as a well-known landmark. It is constructed of granite quarried at the North Carolina Granite Corporation Quarry Complex.

The first gold shipments were made from January to July 1937. The majority of the United States’ gold reserves were gradually shipped to the site, including old bullion and newly made bars made from melted gold coins. Some intact coins were stored. The transfer used a special 9 car train manned by machine gunners and transferred to US Army trucks protected by a US Cavalry brigade. In 1974, a Washington attorney named Peter David Beter circulated a theory that the gold in the Depository had been secretly removed by elites, and that the vaults were empty.  A group of reporters was allowed inside in order to refute the theory, which had gained traction thanks to coverage in tabloid newspapers and on the radio.  Other than this 1974 event, no member of the public has been allowed inside.

During World War II, the depository held the original U.S. Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. It held the reserves of European countries and key documents from Western history.

For example, it held the Crown of St. Stephen, part of the Hungarian crown jewels, given to American soldiers to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands. The repository held one of four copies

(exemplifications) of Magna Carta, which had been sent for display at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, and when war broke out, was kept in the US for the duration.

2017

As of November 2017, Fort Knox holdings are 4,582 metric tons (147.3 million Oz. troy), with a market value of over $100 billion. 

Some of the gold in the depository is in the form of monetary gold coins. The 1933 Double Eagle was also a temporary resident after transfer from 7 World Trade Center in July 2001, until its sale in July 2002 for $7.59 million. Sometime in 2004, ten additional allegedly stolen 1933 Double Eagles were transported to Fort Knox for safekeeping.

Not all the gold bars held in the depository are of exactly the same composition. The mint gold bars are nearly pure gold. Bars made from melted gold coins, called “coin bars”, are the same composition as the original coins, which is 90% gold. Unlike many .999 fine gold bullion coins minted in modern times for holding today, the coin alloy for pre-1933 US coins, which were intended for circulation, was a tougher and wear-resistant .900 fine alloy (balance copper) used for all US gold coins since 1837.

VII.

WEST POINT:  W

1937

The West Point Mint facility was erected near the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York.  It was originally called the West Point Bullion Depository.  At one point it had contained the highest concentration of silver of any U.S. mint facility and was thus nick-named “The Fort Knox of Silver”.  

1974

From 1974 to 1986, the West P:oint Mint produced Lincoln Cents bearing no mint mark, making them indistinguishable from those produced at the Philadelphia Mint.

1977

The years 1977-1979 saw Bi-centennial Quarters and Washington Quarters produced as well. 

1983

The first appearance on the ‘W’ mint mark (from this still  unofficial U.S. Mint) on a $10 gold coin commemorating the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.  This was the first legal tender U.S. gold coin since 1933.     

1986

American Gold Eagle gold bullion coins were solely produced at this facility, again with no mint mark. 

1988

The West Point Mint facility gained official status as a branch of the United States Mint.     

1996

The commemorative Roosevelt dime was produced for the 50th anniversary of this design.  Given as an insert with the standard mint sets sold that year, over 1.457 million were produced.  Thus this “W” mint marked dime is not particularly scarce; it was made only for collectors

2001

Production of American Silver Eagles commence until 2008, resuming in 2010.

2002

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point was honored for its 200th anniversary, and a bicentennial commemorative silver dollar was issued and unveiled on March 16 of that year, featuring a cadet color guard on the obverse and the helmet of Pallas Athena on the reverse. The coin was produced only at the West Point Mint.

2006

The West Point Mint begins production of gold American Buffalo coinage.

2014

The reverse proof silver Kennedy Half Dollar which was part of a commemorative set, along with the 24K gold proof Kennedy Half Dollar were produced there to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy Half Dollar, again with the “W” mint mark.

2015

Another “W” mint marked dime was issued along with a 2015-W dollar, these as part of a three coin set to commemorate the March of Dimes. Only 75,000 sets were produced.

Ken Kasprzak: 08-12-2017

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