The History of the US Mint
The United States Mint is responsible for the creation and circulation of currency in the country. Congress created the Mint when it passed the Coinage Act of 1792. Prior to, currency was different from state to state, so it was difficult to assess value. Congress opened the first Mint in Philadelphia in 1792 in a building that became known as “Ye Olde Mint”.
Of course, legitimate currency needed some kind of mark that would identify it as such. Early coins were marked with the name of the facility in which they were produced, so one could quickly identify the origin of the coin and verify it as authentic.
The mintmark was ditched in favor of metal coins during the 60s, but silver was the preferred metal for a long time. Nickels were originally made of nickel, but a shortage during World War II made it more feasible to mix the recipe with some silver. The result was a blending of the old and the new. One can tell whether a nickel falls into this category by observing the back of the coin. Above the picture of Monticello, a “P” designates the origin as Philadelphia. If the date corresponds with World War II, the coin may be authentic.
The main purpose of the mint was to convert gold deposits into coinage, occasionally in the form of gold coins.
Margaret Kelly became the first female director of the mint in 1911, which also made her the highest paid woman on government payroll at that point.
About the Author: Samuel Phineas Upham is an investor at a family office/ hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media and Telecom group. You may contact Phin on his Samuel Phineas Upham website or LinkedIn.