Major Coin Mints: Overview & Their Bullion Products
Major Coin Mints
Complete overview of world-renowned government and private mints and their bullion products
Introduction
Where do coins and bullion products come from? Many folks could correctly answer such a question with lightning-fast reflexes by blurting out "the mint." But which mint? And where is it? What else does "the mint" make?
There are many public and private mints around the world. They make a seemingly endless array of coins, bars, and rounds. Too many to list them all in a single article like this one.
But we're going to learn about some of the major mints here. We'll highlight their most popular products so that more collectors and investors are educated on the origins of their favorite numismatic and bullion pieces.
Understanding Mint Types
This guide covers both government mints (which produce legal tender coins) and private mints (which focus on bullion rounds and bars). Each type serves different purposes in the precious metals market, from gold investment products to silver bullion options.
Table of Contents
- Part I: Government mints in the United States
- Part II: Government mints around the world
- Part III: Private mints and refineries
- Philadelphia Mint - America's first federal building
- Historic US branch mints
- Royal Canadian Mint
- Royal Mint (United Kingdom)
- Perth Mint (Australia)
- Major private refineries and mints
Part I: Government Mints in the United States
The United States Mint serves a primarily public function. This is laid out in the Coinage Act written by the country's first Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton. Decisions on what to mint and how to do so are mainly dictated by the federal government and are subject to policy passed by Acts of Congress.
The original United States Mint coin production facility has since spawned several branch locations. Each branch mint facility currently in operation is as follows: Denver, San Francisco, and West Point. A mint mark stamped on the coins corresponds to the location where they were made: D, S, and W, respectively.
Current Operations
Today, the U.S. Mint focuses on minting coins for commerce, including the Lincoln cent, Jefferson nickel, Roosevelt dime, Washington quarter, Kennedy half dollar, and Native American dollar.
Bullion Production
Among the bullion coins the U.S. Mint makes are the American Silver Eagle, American Gold Eagle, American Platinum Eagles, American Palladium Eagles, and American Gold Buffaloes.
Special Products
The mint also produces commemorative coin sets, precious-metal coinage, and congressional gold medals for special occasions and recognition.
Where else do we begin but in America? It's home to the United States Mint, originally established in Philadelphia back in 1792. In fact, the Philadelphia Mint was the first building ever constructed by the United States government as a federal entity under the Constitution.
Historical Significance
The Philadelphia Mint is the headquarters of the U.S. Mint. In most cases, this is where the dies are made to strike coins all over the country. Except on special occasions where a "P" mintmark is used, U.S. coins struck before 1979 that lack a mintmark were made in Philadelphia. Today, there is still no "P" found on one-cent coins.
Denver Mint
In terms of producing circulating coins, the Denver Mint is usually the second most active facility behind Philadelphia. It has been in operation continuously since 1906.
Although Philadelphia still handles the bulk of the work making new coin dies, since 1996 some dies are made in Denver, as well.
Prior to 1985, each mint mark was hand-punched, which resulted in varying sizes and orientation on the coins.
San Francisco Mint
The San Francisco Mint graduated from being an assay facility to a full-fledged branch mint in 1854. It played a crucial role in refining and processing the huge amounts of gold being discovered in California.
This mint is also known for being the source of all U.S. proof coins. Proofs are specially minted for collectors with sharp, frosted details and reflective surfaces.
West Point Mint (New York)
The "youngest" of all the branch mints is the one in West Point, New York. It has only been active since 1984, but the West Point Mint has already established itself as an important part of mint operations.
Virtually all U.S. bullion coins are struck at West Point. The facility specializes in bullion—meaning it produces government-issued gold, silver, platinum, and palladium coins.
Historic US Branch Mints
Historic mint facilities also once existed in Carson City, Nevada; Charlotte, North Carolina; and New Orleans, Louisiana. They were joined by an assay facility in San Francisco following the California Gold Rush. These defunct mints churned out Morgan dollars, Liberty Head double eagles, and various other U.S. coins in the 19th century.
Carson City Mint (1870–1893)
The short-lived Carson City Mint served as an outpost in the western United States prior to the Denver Mint. It was conveniently located closely to the Comstock Lode, a huge deposit of silver ore in Nevada.
Graft and mismanagement plagued the Carson City Mint. Coins bearing the "CC" mintmark are prized by collectors today due to their relative scarcity.
Charlotte Mint (1838–1861)
The Charlotte Mint was essentially the first branch mint. It was established at the same time as the mints in New Orleans, Louisiana and Dahlonega, Georgia in 1838. Only gold coins were minted in Charlotte.
Given its short life span, relatively low mintage numbers, and its exclusive production of gold coins, any coin from the Charlotte Mint is highly collectible.
New Orleans Mint (1838–1861, 1879–1909)
The New Orleans Mint had two separate periods of use: from 1838–1861 like its counterparts in the South, and again from 1879–1909. Coins from New Orleans can be identified by an "O" mintmark.
The demise of the mint facility in New Orleans shares some similarities to the debacle in Carson City. Funds appropriated for maintenance were repeatedly squandered.
Part II: Government Mints Around the World
This list includes the major government mints that produce coins for legal-tender purposes. Some also make rounds and bars, but the primary function of these production facilities is to make coinage for commerce.
Quasi-Private Operations
It should be noted that while all the mints mentioned in this section are officially government organizations, some tend to have quasi-private characteristics. An excellent example of this is seen in the Royal Canadian Mint. It operates as a public and state-owned entity, yet it has both commercial and public objectives.
Oh, Canada! The neighbors just north of the United States have been making world-class coinage for more than a century. With so much gold in the country, the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) was an early adopter of modern gold bullion coins.
Over that time the RCM has offered a host of circulating coins with nature themes. This included a run of 80% silver dollar coins from 1935 through 1967. It has issued many uncirculated commemorative coins boasting various history themes and finishes, such as proof coins.
Canadian Maple Leaf Series
Since 1979, the Royal Canadian Mint has been producing Canadian Maple Leaf coins that now include gold, silver, palladium, and platinum bullion coin offerings.
Record-Setting Features
To date, the Silver Maple Leaf carries the highest face value (C$5) of any one-ounce silver coin. The Royal Canadian Mint has also made silver rounds and silver bars.
Great Britain's Royal Mint has been in operation in one form or another for over 1,000 years. Its founding traces all the way back to the late 9th century! At one point not all that long ago, it served as the home base of coinage for a global empire with lands and territories dotting the world.
The "Crown" may no longer have the geopolitical influence it did even just a few decades ago. Still, it remains one of the globe's great superpowers, and the Royal Mint sets a high standard for producing coins. Among the Royal Mint's output are Gold Sovereigns and Silver Britannias, two of the world's most trusted and beloved bullion coins.
Coins are a part of everyday commerce in "The Land Down Under." Australia's Perth Mint produces many millions of coins per year, and has since its first day of founding in 1899. The Perth Mint has struck the gamut of circulating Australian coinage.
In recent years, the Perth Mint has become a household name for bullion investors and numismatic collectors who buy Australian coins such as Silver Koalas, Gold Kangaroos, and Australia Gold Nuggets. The Perth Mint also produces gold Perth Bars and silver commemorative coins. Some incorporate colorized surfaces and embedded gemstones, among other numismatic novelties.
Austrian Mint
The Austrian Mint is an exceptionally old institution. Its history traces back to the 12th century, when coins were struck from silver paid as a ransom for King Richard the Lionheart of England.
Today, this renowned mint is well known for its silver and gold Austrian Philharmonic coins, named after the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra founded in 1842.
China Mint
Founded as the Shanghai Mint in 1920 and later known as the Central Mint, the government mint in China produces circulating coinage and a variety of popular bullion coins.
The most famous Chinese bullion coins are China Silver and Gold Panda. These have been in production since the early 1980s and now use grams as their weight measurement.
Mexican Mint (La Casa de Moneda)
The Mexican Mint has the unique claim of being the oldest mint anywhere in the Americas. It was the first mint in the New World, having been established in 1535.
Today, it produces the silver and gold Libertad bullion coins that are favorites among investors due to their relatively low mintage levels and beautiful designs.
South African Mint
We live in a time when there are an array of bullion coins representing many nations. But as recently as the late 1970s, there was just one contemporary bullion coin that investors trusted: the South African Krugerrand.
This gold coin was first released in 1967 and is widely regarded as the world's first modern bullion issue.
Part III: Private Mints
Most of the world's most famous coins come from government mints. But the bulk of the gold and silver rounds and bars known in the bullion community hail from private mints. These operate independently of the government and offer a variety of products catering mainly to investors.
The advantage of buying rounds and bars from private mints is that they are generally available at a lower cost, gram for gram, than the metal coins issued by their government counterparts. Below you will find fun facts and brief profiles of some of the most notable private mints and their most popular products.
Cost Advantages of Private Mints
Private mint products typically carry lower premiums than government-issued coins, making them attractive for investors focused primarily on precious metal content rather than numismatic value. This allows investors to accumulate more actual gold or silver for their investment dollar.
Major Private Refineries and Mints
PAMP (Switzerland)
Produits Artistiques Métaux Précieux may be better known by its acronym PAMP. It is a bullion brand based in Switzerland and founded in 1977. Decades later, it is still among the most renowned gold refineries anywhere in the world.
Say the name "PAMP," and the bullion investor's mind immediately turns to a lush array of high-quality precious metals bars in sizes suiting virtually any budget. PAMP Suisse Gold Bar options range from 1 gram to 1 ounce and beyond.
Sunshine Minting (Idaho)
Since 1979, this private bullion company in Idaho has produced a wide variety of silver and gold rounds and bars. Its many precious metals products are perfect for the collector or investor.
Sunshine Minting has the prestigious claim of supplying the United States Mint with silver planchets—the blanks used to strike silver bullion coins.
Johnson Matthey (Historic)
This British refinery was a global name in silver and other precious metals for more than 160 years. Initially established in 1817 and continuing through the 1980s, "JM" is known as a manufacturer of silver and gold bars.
Johnson Matthey silver and gold bars are highly respected in the bullion community and are often classified as vintage collectible products.
Engelhard (Historic)
Operating from 1902 through 2006, Engelhard was a leading name in bullion for more than a century. Based in New Jersey, this precious metals company produced a vast variety of gold and silver bars.
Engelhard gold and silver bars are immensely popular today. Many investors and collectors are willing to pay high premiums over melt to obtain vintage Engelhard bullion.
Mason Mint (North America)
Mason Mint is an up-and-coming private mint and refinery in North America. Established in 2017, this silver mint has quickly earned a reputation for creative and original bullion items.
All Mason Mint bullion products are IRA-approved due to the mint's certification as an ISO 9001:2015 facility, meaning it upholds rigorous standards for quality control.
Exploring World Mints
Understanding the origins of your favorite coins and bullion products adds depth to collecting and investing. Each mint brings its own history, craftsmanship standards, and unique designs to the precious metals market.
Government Mints
Offer legal tender status, government backing, and often carry numismatic premiums beyond their precious metal content.
Private Mints
Focus on competitive pricing and pure precious metal content, ideal for investors seeking maximum metal for their money.
Investment Strategy
Consider diversifying across different mints and products to build a well-rounded precious metals portfolio that combines both government and private mint products.