History of the United States Mint
The national mint of the United States was created by the Coinage Act of 1792. The act, passed by Congress, set the rules for striking gold, silver and copper coins. The first mint building stood in Philadelphia, the capital at the time.
When gold rushes began in the 19th century, the Philadelphia mint could not keep up. Congress therefore created branch mints in Charlotte, Dahlonega and New Orleans. In 1836 steam-powered presses arrived, which raised output. Later branches opened in San Francisco and Denver. The motto "In God We Trust" first appeared on a U.S. coin in 1864, and in 1892 the mint issued its first commemorative coin. Gold coins stopped circulating in 1933, and the Coinage Act of 1965 removed silver from dimes and quarters, which have been made of copper-nickel clad metal since then.
The United States Mint today
The United States Mint is now a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. It produces the country's circulating coins and supplies them to the Federal Reserve Banks. It also strikes collector coins, bullion coins and medals.
The United States Mint regularly releases commemorative coins. In 2024 it issued a series honouring Harriet Tubman. Other collector series include:
Series featuring U.S. presidents and medals tied to American history are also very popular. Military medals honouring veterans are a separate category in the United States Mint range.
