According to legend, the first coins struck at the mint were silver household plates that were delivered by none other than George Washington himself!
Where Are Coins Made In The US?
By BullionMentor on January 8, 2025
The American Coinage is an breathtaking story of art, heritage, and varieties. You often wonder about the various mintmarks on the design. What exactly are they? Where are the coins made in the US? We will answer all such questions in this article! Did you know that the first facility of America’s first mint, The US Mint, was once the location of a prominent brewery? Well, today, the entire location has been revamped into a state-of-the-art minting facility.
The US Mint first began its production all the way back in 1793, which started with the mintage of the cents and half-cent coins that were going to be used as circulation currency in the open market. Since then, the US Mint has set up different facilities to mint coins across the US.
Let’s dive deeper into the fascinating story of where are coins made in US.
Where Are U.S. Coins Made?
The United States Congress passed the Coinage Act on April 2, 1972, which entailed the importance of a reliable currency system for the nation. This led to the inception of the Philadelphia facility of the US Mint, which gave the sole authority to mint legal tender coins in the US. Today, the mint has further expanded by adding three more mints operating in different locations of the country. Here’s an overview of the locations where the coins are made in the US:
a
Philadelphia Mint
The Philadelphia Mint was the first building erected as a public institution authorized by Congress. Eventually, the federal government was shifted to Washington, D.C.; however, the mint still stayed at its original location after Congress ruled that the mint was staying there until it had to be relocated by law. The mint was renovated in 1829 and was used for over 70 years. It was further expanded two more times to meet the growing demand for coinage production.
The Philadelphia Mint has been the US Mint’s most prominent facility, with the coins struck here featuring no mintmark, which is a staple feature of the mint. While some coins beared the mint mark “P.” Among the most popular coins struck in the Philadelphia mint were the Morgan Silver Dollars, the American Silver Eagles, and the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles.
b
Denver Mint
The production of coins at the Denver Mint began in 1906, and it was incepted with the aim of meeting the booming demands of the mining facilities of the Rocky Mountain region. It helped convert vast amounts of gold and silver that had been mined in the area into coinage that would be circulated in the open market, which helped boost the economic growth of the region.
The mint is known for its production of the Morgan silver dollars, Peace dollars, Eisenhower dollars, which are iconic American coin series that are cherished by numismatics.
The Denver Mint still operates as the US Mint’s most important facility, which is known for producing high-grade coins for circulation as well as its collectibilty. The coins minted at the facility are identified by the “D” mintmark engraved in the coin’s design.
Did You know?
There are almost 15 billion coins minted every year by the US Mint!
c
San Francisco Mint
The San Francisco Mint began its production in 1854 and was located at 608 Commercial Street, in the west direction of Montgomery Street. The mint was created as an answer to the California Gold Rush and struck $4 million of Gold Bullion in coins. This led to several renovations of the mint as its operations grew over time in lieu of the economic growth of the nation.
The mint grew over time as a prominent minting facility in the United States and is known for producing large numbers of Gold Coins like Double Eagles and Silver Coins such as the Seated Liberty coin series. The San Francisco Mint faced various obstacles like the 1906 earthquake that damaged the building. However, the vaults remained intact, helping preserve the precious gold and silver resources valued in millions.
While the mint does not strike circulating coins for the market today, they do produce regular as well as silver coin sets for sale. The coins struck at the mint can be identified by the “S” mintmark that is engraved to the coin’s design.
d
West Point Mint
The West Point Mint (W) is located in New York and was incepted in 1937; it was known at the time as the West Point Bullion Depository, whose primary role was to store Silver Bullion and create a secure location so that the country’s reserves of precious metals can be stored in a state-of-the-art facility.
The facility played a crucial role in protecting the precious metals reserves during World War II and also supported the war effort. The mint was finally given its current name in 1988 and started striking coins for circulation in the nation.
The mint is renowned for its proof as well as uncirculated versions that include commemorative pieces and bullion coins like the American Eagle series and other coins that represent American culture and historical aspects. Their initial production comprised gold and silver, which were used as commemorative pieces at the Seoul Olympics. The coins struck at the mint can be identified with a “W” mintmark present on the obverse design of the coins.
Conclusion
The US Mint is notably one of the pioneers in modern-day coinage of gold and silver bullion. With its facilities located in different parts of the nation and using the latest technologies, it plays an important part in shaping and sustaining the American coinage heritage.
Looking to buy precious metals coins or other bullion pieces online? Bullion Mentor helps you by providing expert guidance on finding trusted bullion dealers that offer competitive pricing on varied bullion. You get frequently updated prices and premium comparisons of the products offered by the top bullion dealers like BOLD Precious Metals, JM Bullion, APMEX, which help you choose the cheapest deals, without any hassle!