| Mint Marks are tiny letters referring to the locality | | | | the "done" coin. |
| where the minting of coins took place. The | | | | 3. The blanks then are softened by running them |
| position of mint mark can be found typically on | | | | through an annealing furnace, through tumbling |
| the back side of coins that were minted before | | | | barrels, and then through revolving cylinders |
| the year 1965 and on the front after the year | | | | containing chemical mixtures to burnish and clean |
| 1967. | | | | the metal. |
| Coins of every US mint branch are recognized by | | | | 4. The blanks then are washed and placed into a |
| mint marks. These coin marks date back to | | | | drying device, then into the "upsetting" machines, |
| ancient times in Rome and Greece. | | | | that produce the raised rim. |
| The "Director of the Mint", through the "Act of | | | | 5. The Final stage: "coining press". Each blank is |
| March 3, 1835", set rules to classify and distinguish | | | | clasp into position by a collar or ring as it is being |
| the coins released from every US Mint branch. | | | | struck or hit under great pressure. Pennies need |
| This core management set accurate standards | | | | approximately40 tons of pressure and the larger |
| and pattern of production as well as responsible | | | | coins need more. The "upper and lower dies" are |
| coinage. | | | | stamped simultaneously on the two sides of each |
| Coins that minted at the "Philadelphia mint" earlier | | | | coin. |
| than the year 1979 have no mint marks. So it | | | | The design: |
| was in that year that the dollar was marked with | | | | The "Director of the Mint" chooses the design and |
| the letter P and other denominations had that | | | | pattern for United States coins, then that is |
| same mark thereafter. | | | | approved by the "Secretary of the Treasury"; |
| All dies for US coins are produced at the | | | | congress can recommend and suggest a design. |
| "Philadelphia Mint" and prior to shipping the coins to | | | | The design then can not be changed for twenty |
| their mint branch, coins are marked first with the | | | | five years unless directed by the congress. |
| correct and designated mint markings. The precise | | | | All emblems of United States coins minted |
| size and positioning of the coins' mint mark can | | | | currently represent previous presidents of the |
| slightly vary; this is influenced by how deep the | | | | United States. President Lincoln is on the one-cent |
| punch was impressed and where. | | | | coin, adopted in the year1909; Washington on the |
| The importance of mint marks: | | | | 25 cent coin that was minted first in 1932; |
| Collectors can determine the value of a coin | | | | Jefferson on the five cent coin in 1938; Franklin |
| though mint mark, date and condition examination, | | | | Roosevelt on the dime, introduced in the |
| making the coins condition the most significant | | | | year1946; Kennedy on the half dollar that was |
| factor and standard when determining its value. | | | | first minted in 1964. |
| Defining the Mint which hit the coin is | | | | The "Act of 1997" known as the "50 States |
| tremendously important in determining the value | | | | Quarters Program" supports and allows the |
| of the coin; the coin can be hit in huge quantities | | | | redesigning of the quarters - the reverse side is |
| at a single Mint or in smaller quantities in another | | | | to show each of the fifty states emblems. Every |
| hit. | | | | year starting in 1999 and until 2008, coins honoring |
| The process of minting: | | | | five states, having designs that are created by |
| 1. The making of metal strips in the correct | | | | each state, will be issued in the sequence or |
| thickness: Zinc strips are used for pennies, alloy | | | | manner in which each state signed the |
| strips composed of nickel (25%) and nickel (75%) | | | | Constitution. |
| for nickel and dollars, half-dollars, dimes, half-dimes | | | | The phrase "In God We Trust" was used first in |
| are fabricated from a fusion of three coatings of | | | | 1864, on a United States two-cent coin. It then |
| metals; the external layer are alloys and the | | | | was seen on the quarter, nickel, half-dollar, silver |
| center is copper. | | | | dollar and on the $10, $5 and $20 in 1866; in 1909 |
| 2. These strips of metals are then put into | | | | on the penny, in 1916 on the dime. Today, all |
| "blanking presses" that are responsible for cutting | | | | United States coins carry the motto. |
| "round blanks", approximately the dimension of | | | | |