"The Congress shall have the Power . . . To coin Money."
— Constitution of the United States, Article I, Section 8
When the framers of the U.S. Constitution created a new government for their untried Republic, they realized the critical need for a respected monetary system. Soon after the Constitution's ratification, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton personally prepared plans for a national Mint. On April 2, 1792, Congress passed The Coinage Act, which created the Mint and authorized construction of a Mint building in the nation's capital, Philadelphia. This was the first federal building erected under the Constitution.
Since our institution’s founding in 1792, the men and women of the United States Mint have taken great pride in rendering the story of our nation in enduring examples of numismatic art. To hold a coin or medal produced by the U.S. Mint is to connect to the founding principles of our nation and the makings of our economy.
Here and abroad, people cherish our products because they are stores of value as well as exquisite encapsulations of America's ideals. In forms designed to be passed from hand to hand and saved from generation to generation, the coins we mint reflect our shared history and traditions. Whether it is learning to count with pennies, understanding the value of saving through the weight of a piggy bank or remembering the coin toss at your first football game, coins connect us to many of our fondest memories.
Perhaps most importantly, the United States Mint connects us with the core values of America. From the great promise of our "E Pluribus Unum" credo beneath the banner of Liberty, each coin is a small share in the ongoing American Experience, linking us in an unbroken line to our country's—and the Mint’s—origins in the Constitution.
The United States Mint was created by Congress in 1792 and became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. It is the Nation's sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage and is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The United States Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. The United States Mint's numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to the taxpayer.
Mission
The primary mission of the United States Mint is to serve the American people by manufacturing and distributing circulating, precious metal and collectible coins and national medals, and providing security over assets entrusted to us.
Locations
The United States Mint operates six facilities across the United States with each facility performing unique functions. Current facilities include the Headquarters in Washington, DC; production facilities in Philadelphia, PA; West Point, NY; Denver, CO; and San Francisco, CA; and the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, KY.
For information about U.S. paper currency, please contact the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
