U.S. Mints
Today we’re giving a full run down on the various, current mints of the United States. Have you ever wondered how many US Mints there are? If you’re like most, you may think we just have two. If you know a little U.S Mint history, however, you may know there have been a number of mints to open and close all over the country in the last 200+ yrs. Which means you may be shocked to learn there are actually now four U.S. Mint locations still producing today.
Let’s start with the most popular and well known, the Philadelphia Mint….
The U.S. Mint Philadelphia facility is the nations first mint and has been around for 231 years. Established in 1792, it hold the richest historical significance for US numismatists and collectors alike. From their website:
“The nation’s first mint provides a wide array of coins and manufacturing services. Philadelphia produces coin and medal dies. It mints:
- Circulating coins
- Numismatic products including annual uncirculated coin sets
- Commemorative coins as authorized by Congress
- Medals
- In addition, the Philadelphia Mint employs the elite team of medallic artists who are entrusted with creating designs and sculptural models for the production of all the nation’s coins and medals. “ – usmint.gov
Next we’re looking at the U.S. Mint San Francisco facility.
This iconic mint opened in 1854, rolling in on the heels of the California Gold Rush. In 1849, the California Gold Rush brought a flood of people west for the chance to get rich. From their website:
“Transporting the gold east all the way to the Philadelphia Mint was time-consuming and fraught with risk. In 1854, a branch Mint opened in San Francisco to convert the miners’ gold into coins. By the end of that year, the San Francisco Mint produced $4,084,207 in gold coins. . . The United States Mint at San Francisco [now] plays an important role in our nation’s coinage.
Although it does not currently produce circulating coins, it mints:
- Clad and silver proof coin sets
- Commemorative coins as authorized by Congress
- The San Francisco Mint is not open to the public. “ – usmint.gov
Next is the U.S. Denver Mint.
This mint was established in 1862 following the discovery of gold in Colorado in 1858 (9 years after the Gold Rush began) however it did not begin producing coins until 1906. Still busy producing billions of coins each year, the U.S. Denver Mint facility is a historical landmark of the west. From their website:
“The United States Mint at Denver manufactures coin dies; stores silver bullion; and mints coins, including:
- Circulating coins
- Numismatic products including annual uncirculated coin sets
- Commemorative coins as authorized by Congress” – usmint.gov
Moving to the highly unique and historical U.S. West Point Mint
this facility stands makes its mark in minting metals such as platinum and palladium in addition to traditional precious metals. The West Point Mint is a U.S. Mint production and depository facility erected in 1937 near the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, United States. As of 2019 the mint holds 22% of the United States’ gold reserves, or approximately 54 million ounces. From their website:
“ Located near the U.S. Military Academy in New York, the United States Mint at West Point stores silver, gold, and platinum bullion, as well as mints:
- American Eagle proof and uncirculated coins in gold, silver, and platinum
- American Buffalo gold bullion coins
- Commemorative Coins as authorized by Congress” – usmint.gov
Curious about the other U.S. Mints that have come and gone over the years or would you like to be able to identify the various, historical mint marks? You can get a highly informative PDF from littletoncoin.com.
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