Page 3 - Mints Around the World

New Orleans is famous for many things: its fine restaurants, Dixie and jazz, educational institutions, the French Quarter and the city's annual Mardi Gras celebration. Did you know it is also famous for its role in the history of U. S Coinage? Authorized in 1835, the New Orleans Mint struck both silver and gold coins and proved to be the most durable and dependable Mint in the South both before and after the Civil War. A Brief History of New Orleans Known as the Crescent City because it was built on a great turn of the Mississippi River in southern Louisiana, the city of New Orleans has a rich culture all its own in the annals of American history. The city was founded in 1718 by the French and named for their current regent, Philippe II, Duke of Orleans. It remained a French colony until 1763, when it was transferred to the Spanish. In 1800, Spain ceded it back to France and in 1803, New Orleans, along with the entire Louisiana Purchase, was sold to the U.S.. In 1815, it was the…

The story of the San Francisco Mint is an amazing tale. From the very beginning, coins struck at this branch office were of the highest quality. This standard became a legacy that would endure throughout the Mint's long history. The Famous "S" Mint Mark The San Francisco Mint was established as a result of the nation's most famous gold rush. It's survived challenges from earthquakes, fires and production demands that tested its capacities. The epic history of this prestigious Mint spans over 155 years and today, many people believe that the coins produced there with the famous "S" Mint mark are some of the most beautiful U.S. coins ever struck. The California Gold Rush In 1846, only about 800 people were living in the San Francisco area. But in early 1848, after gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, 75 percent of those residents abruptly left to avoid the anticipated flood of people who would be descending on their quiet little hamlet. The following year, thousands of pioneers and…

If you take a short drive from Reno, Nevada, you will quickly find yourself transported back more than 100 years to a time when silver and gold ruled the western economy. Tiny Virginia City - it's a gem of a town, and I've had the pleasure of visiting it several times. Many of the old saloons and stores from the last century are still standing (and doing very well, I might add!). The surrounding hills are honeycombed with the silver mines of the fabled Comstock Lode, a few of which are still producing silver.  As I drove south out of town, I saw the remnants of several abandoned mines and stamping mills, and suddenly I came across Nevada's capitol, Carson City. Near the center of town stands the original Carson City Mint, looking much as it did when it struck its first U.S. "CC" mint-marked coins in 1870. Now a Nevada State museum, I enjoyed seeing the original ingot molds, tools, and minting dies on display. But most of all, it was a thrill to find the original old coining…

What Secrets Does 'The Granite Lady' Still Hold Within? How can a national treasure sealed within a granite cornerstone escape to reappear over thirty years later? Thus begins the mystery of the San Francisco Mint Cornerstone and the legendary 1870-S $3 Gold Indian Princess Head Coin… Records reveal that one and only one specimen of the 1870-S $3 Gold coin was struck – specifically to be sealed within the cornerstone of the new San Francisco Mint building soon to be built at the corner of Fifth and Mission Streets. The cornerstone itself remains a perplexing mystery. On May 25, 1870, a grand Masonic ceremony was held to lay this symbolic piece of the building's foundation. Newspapers of the day reported that the cornerstone was on the northeast side and that it was filled with one of each of the 1870-dated coins struck by the newly-established San Francisco Branch Mint. Despite such eye-witness reports, the actual cornerstone housing these historic treasures has never…