First coinage at Denver Mint 1906 0

[RWB]

This table shows the denomination and date struck of the first coinage from the real Denver Mint in 1906. Hope it will be readable.

 

 

 

 

[GoldFinger1969]

What was the reason for the Denver Mint ?  The Comstock and Cripple Creek finds were winding down or done (nearest supplies)....San Fran's mint was there because it was built shortly after the California gold finds.

Why was a 3rd mint needed...and why Denver ?  Small denomination coins ?

Edited February 28 by GoldFinger1969

[Zebo]

1858 Pikes Peak Gold Rush occurred and the Carson City Mint closed in 1893. 

[GoldFinger1969]

On 2/28/2024 at 6:45 AM, Zebo said:

1858 Pikes Peak Gold Rush occurred and the Carson City Mint closed in 1893. 

Yeah, and Cripple Creek and other Colorado gold finds also hit...but by 1906 when the Denver Mint opened, they all had to be on their last legs, no ?

SanFran Mint opened a few years after California gold strikes....the Denver Mint opened a much longer period of time after Cripple opened.

However.....those mines STILL produce gold today, so maybe it was still pretty active in the early-1900's.

[RWB]

On 2/28/2024 at 12:07 AM, GoldFinger1969 said:

What was the reason for the Denver Mint ?  The Comstock and Cripple Creek finds were winding down or done (nearest supplies)....San Fran's mint was there because it was built shortly after the California gold finds.

Why was a 3rd mint needed...and why Denver ?  Small denomination coins ?

By the late 19th century expansion of railroads and growth of mid-west population and economies made it economical to produce coins at Denver. It was the only sizeable city between the Rockies and Mississippi and Treasury already owned land. As an Assay Office it received gold and some silver from upper mid-west territories along with the southwest. These combined to make Denver a good spot for a new mint, and also to eventually eliminate New Orleans - something Treasury had wanted to do for a decade. Express and Post Office rates also had considerable influence, since shipping coins was costly.

The three mints supplied coins to specific geographic areas: Philadelphia - East of Mississippi; Denver - Central States; and San Francisco - Pacific coast. There was a little overlap around Chicago and New Orleans, mostly related to cost of transportation.

There was also the intent to begin striking minor coins at SF and D - again to reduce distribution expenses, and provide more timely response to demand.

[GoldFinger1969]

Was a Chicago mint ever considered, Roger ?  Denver's population in 1906 couldn't have been that large.

[RWB]

On 2/28/2024 at 1:40 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

Was a Chicago mint ever considered, Roger ?  Denver's population in 1906 couldn't have been that large.

Yes, as well as Omaha, Seattle, Dalles Oregon, and a bunch of other spots that wanted government jobs. The Dales story has been told many times. However, prior to WW-II there was an active proposal to build a new mint in Indiana (the Mid-West Mint). Treasury had an option on land and started blueprints. The details are in my book "Saudi Gold, etc...."

Here's a paragraph:

The subject of a new mint was discussed with Secretary Morgenthau during his October 5, 1940 staff meeting. Morgenthau’s assistant, Harold N. Graves, had visited the Philadelphia Mint the previous week. It was already known that Philadelphia could not keep up with demand, and that several months earlier coins had to be shipped from the San Francisco Mint to the Eastern seaboard. During his visit he learned that there was considerable difficulty and delay in renovating the building to hold new equipment that was planned. Graves thought a new manufacturing plant might be necessary, probably in the West someplace.