Full Answer
Why does San Francisco have an s on its coin?
Congress established the San Francisco Mint in 1852 in response to the California gold rush and the need of miners to have their new-found gold made into coins. The “S” Mint mark was used on San Francisco coins until 1975, although production in San Francisco was suspended between 1955 and 1965.
What is the San Francisco Mint?
San Francisco Mint assumes all proof coin production from the Philadelphia Mint. The restoration of the old San Francisco Mint, known as the "Granite Lady," begins.
When did San Francisco mint start making pennies?
Congress officially changes San Francisco facility's status to an assay office. September - The Coinage Act of 1965 allows the San Francisco Assay Office to produce coins. It starts making pennies in September. San Francisco Mint assumes all proof coin production from the Philadelphia Mint.
What happens to the San Francisco Mint during an earthquake?
San Francisco is hit by an earthquake that devastates the city. The Mint building, with its solid construction, survives the earthquake and ensuing fire with only damage to its gas works, which halts coin production for a time.
How much is a San Francisco Mint?
Today, the San Francisco Mint is the United State Mint famous for many rare, legendary issues. Some dates are recognized as being elusive, scarce, or rare including one of the great American coin rarities, the 1870-S $3 piece valued today at well over one million dollars.
How rare are San Francisco mint coins?
Over the years, the San Francisco Mint has produced coins of great numismatic quality. The 1854-S Quarter Eagle, for example, is one of the rarest of all U.S. regular issue coinage, with a mintage in the low hundreds. And a mere 268 of the 1854-S Half Eagle's were minted, while only a handful survive.
What is the San Francisco Mint mark?
Congress established the San Francisco Mint in 1852 in response to the California gold rush and the need of miners to have their new-found gold made into coins. The “S” Mint mark was used on San Francisco coins until 1975, although production in San Francisco was suspended between 1955 and 1965.
Are all San Francisco mint coins proofs?
San Francisco Mint assumes all proof coin production from the Philadelphia Mint.
What is the rarest mint mark?
1. 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar. Experts believe this coin was the first silver dollar coin struck by the U.S. mint and the finest coin of its time in existence today.
Are San Francisco mint coins silver?
Mint introduced the American Eagle Silver Dollar in 1986, it also produced a rarely seen PROOF edition exclusively at the San Francisco Mint. The Silver Eagle is the largest, heaviest and original purest silver dollar in U.S. history, each made with one troy ounce of 99.9% pure silver. San Francisco was the only U.S.
Is the San Francisco Mint still active?
The original San Francisco Mint operated from 1854-1873 and was eventually torn down. This 2nd facility was one of very few downtown buildings to survive the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and still exists, but is not in use in any mint capacity at present.
Are coins with mint marks valuable?
The short answer is sometimes. Certain coins without mint marks are extremely valuable, but it's essential to watch out for the coins that were altered or damaged by someone outside the mint. Here are several rare coins without mint marks that hold a much higher value than the original minted face value.
Are U.S. Mint coins worth anything?
Also, despite the perception they often give to the contrary, nothing this "mint" makes has any association whatsoever with the genuine United States Mint, and it is a generally accepted opinion that the coins they sell are, and will remain, virtually worthless as an investment collectible.
How can you tell a silver proof coin?
The best way to determine if your coins are silver is to view the edge of the coin. If the coin has a solid silver stripe, then you can feel confident that it's silver. If you can see a copper stripe, then the coin is clad.
When did the San Francisco Mint finally close?
The San Francisco Mint shut down on March 18 with no date for reopening announced. The Philadelphia Mint and Denver Mint are continuing in their production of circulating coins.
Are silver proof coins solid silver?
What is a Silver Proof 50p coin? It is 8g of . 925 Sterling Silver (92.5% Silver, 7.5% other metal) struck using proof finish quality dies to produce a coin.
Is the San Francisco Mint still active?
The original San Francisco Mint operated from 1854-1873 and was eventually torn down. This 2nd facility was one of very few downtown buildings to survive the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and still exists, but is not in use in any mint capacity at present.
What happened to the San Francisco Mint?
Now known as the Old San Francisco Mint, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1961 and sold to the city of San Francisco in 2003. There are plans for adaptive reuse, including as a museum, and continued special events space.
When did the San Francisco Mint start making proofs?
All Proof coins since 1968 have been struck at the San Francisco Mint and feature the coveted “S” mint mark. Proofs are the highest quality coins struck by the U.S. Mint. Proof coins are made for collectors and are not released into circulation.
When did the San Francisco Mint finally close?
The San Francisco Mint shut down on March 18 with no date for reopening announced. The Philadelphia Mint and Denver Mint are continuing in their production of circulating coins.
When did the San Francisco gold coins come out?
A ribbon above the eagle includes the motto “In God We Trust”. Sales of the San Francisco Old Mint Gold Coins began at the United States Mint on August 15, 2006. Both the proof and uncirculated versions were produced at the San Francisco Mint and carry the “S” mint mark.
What is on the reverse of a San Francisco gold coin?
The obverse of the gold coin portrays the portico of the San Francisco Mint, based on an 1869 construction drawing by Supervising Architect A.B. Mullet. The inscriptions read “Liberty”, “1906”, “2006”, “E Pluribus Unum”, and “San Francisco Earthquake and Fire Centennial.”. The reverse of the coin is based on Christian Gobrecht’s 1906 Coronet ...
What year was the $5 gold coin issued?
2006 San Francisco Old Mint $5 Gold. The 2006 San Francisco Old Mint $5 Gold Coin ( Buy on eBay) was issued to mark 100 years after the building survived the 1906 earthquake and fire. As the only financial institution to survive the tragedy, the Old Mint Building played an important role in rebuilding San Francisco as the treasury ...
When was the San Francisco mint built?
Another Act of Congress on July 3, 1852 authorized a U.S. branch mint to be built in San Francisco.
How much is an octagonal coin worth?
These would be gold coins with denominations of 25 cents, 50 cents, and a dollar. These are generally worth a couple of hundred dollars to maybe a thousand dollars depending on the coin. A couple of varieties even go as high as $5,000 or so.
What does the red on a Kellogg coin mean?
According to the Federal Reserve (which has a lot of gold in their possession), the red indicates there is some copper in the gold, and green indicates there is some iron in the gold. AC_Dwyer, 10 years ago.
What is the difference between a $20 and $20 coin?
The most noticable differences were the name "Kellogg & Co." replacing the word "Liberty" on the obverse , and the words "San Francisco California" replacing "United States of America" on the reverse.
Where were the Richter coins minted?
But during that year, Kellogg and Richter actually minted these coins in the basement of a building at 106 Montgomery Street in San Francisco. But I am a little confused about who William Richter was.
When was the $20 double Eagle coin created?
Coinage of both gold dollars and double eagles was authorized by an act of Congress on March 3, 1849, and by 1850 the first regular issue double eagles were being produced in Philadelphia and New Orleans. (My complete collection of double eagles is ...
Who made $20 gold coins?
The company Kellogg & Richter answered the call by producing Kellogg & Co. $20 gold pieces. Later that same year, the U.S. branch mint opened its doors. The company Kellogg & Richter was reorganized as Kellogg & Humbert, and continued to produce $20 gold coins in 1855 even though the new branch mint had begun producing them as well.
When was the San Francisco Mint restored?
1972: Old Mint restored. The restoration of the old San Francisco Mint, known as the "Granite Lady," begins. The basement and first floor open to the public as a museum from 1973 to 1994. 1988: San Francisco once again a Mint. San Francisco regains its status as a Mint.
When did the San Francisco Mint move to a second location?
1874: San Francisco Mint moves to second location. November - The Mint outgrows its small building and moves to a larger facility at 5th and Mission Streets. The building resembles an ancient Greek temple. 1906: San Francisco earthquake and fire. San Francisco is hit by an earthquake that devastates the city.
What is the Mint?
The Mint is the only financial institution capable of operating immediately after the disaster and becomes the treasury for disaster relief funds, perform ing other emergency banking services as well.
When did San Francisco start making pennies?
September - The Coinage Act of 1965 allows the San Francisco Assay Office to produce coins. It starts making pennies in September.
When did the gold rush start in California?
1849: California Gold Rush begins. The Gold Rush begins, following the discovery of gold the previous year. Thousands of people pour into the state. The gold is shipped to the Philadelphia Mint to produce coins, a long and dangerous journey.
Is the San Francisco Mint a national landmark?
The old San Francisco Mint building is designated a National Historic Landmark . It is one of the best surviving examples of Federal classical revival architecture in the country. 1962: San Francisco designated an assay office. Congress officially changes San Francisco facility's status to an assay office.
Is San Francisco a mint?
San Francisco regains its status as a Mint.
How much is a No S coin worth?
Other No S Proof Coins tend to have values in the $1,000 to $30,000 or so range depending on their grade and rarity. The higher the grade on the 1 to 70 coin grading scale, the greater the value. Also, certain dates of No S Proofs have had more coins discovered over the years than others. Coins that have been cleaned or damaged in some way will generally be less valuable, as the condition is very important for modern proof coins.
When were proof coins minted?
Starting in 1968, the proof coins in these sets were supposed to be minted with an “S” mintmark for San Francisco, the US Mint facility that produces these pieces. A few sets from selected years were accidentally released to the public without the intended S mintmark, however, and are known today as “No S Proofs.”.
What dates of proof coins are valuable?
Coins to watch for are the 1968 No S Proof (Roosevelt Dime), 1970 No S Proof (Roosevelt Dime), 1971 No S Proof (Jefferson Nickel), 1975 No S Proof (Roosevelt Dime), 1983 No S Proof (Roosevelt Dime), and 1990 No S Proof (Lincoln Cent).
How much is a 1975 no S dime worth?
The 1975 No S Proof Dime is the rarest and most valuable of the No S Proofs, with only two coins known. Heritage sold the nicer of the two known examples in 2019 for $456,000! Finest Known 1975 No S Roosevelt Dime, PR68 – Only Two Examples Traced
Why are there no mint marks on coins?
Why There Are No Mint Marks on Coins Dated 1965, 1966, and 1967? In the mid-1960s, the United States was in the midst of a nationwide coin shortage due to a major shift from striking 90% silver coins to those of a less-valuable “clad” composition . Coins dated 1965, 1966 and 1967 were intentionally produced without a mintmark.
What to do if you find a no S coin?
If you find a No S Proof coin in one of your family’s proof sets, Heritage Auctions can help you to achieve the highest possible price by marketing your coin to our global audience of collectors. Contact a Consignment Director today for more advice!
What is a No S proof coin?
Specifically, the No S Proof coins that were mistakenly released by the San Francisco Mint. Proof coins, or special strikes intended for collectors rather than circulation, have been issued in 5-coin proof sets each year for decades. They were housed in hard plastic cases, often with a decorative outer box, and had brightly mirrored surfaces. Such coins were never released into circulation and typically cannot be found in change as a result.
What Does The “S” Mark Mean?
How Valuable Are Coins with An “S” from The San Francisco Mint?
- Coins that were produced in San Francisco often have values higher than their face value. That means that some quarters may be worth a few dollars, and some pennies could fetch you an additional 25 cents. For collectors, they are often looking for rarer coinsand older coins with the “S” on them. In general, older coins are more valuable than newer ...
What Factors Impact The Value of Coins?
- There are a lot of factors that will contribute to a coin having a higher value than its face value. Rarity is one of the factors to consider. This means that in any given year, a certain number of coins are produced. In some years, limited runs of specific coins were done. Coin collectorsknow these details so that they can find rare and interesting coins. The way that coins are imprinted c…
Finding The Mint Mark and Collecting Coins
- You’ll find the San Francisco and other mint marks on the face of the coin. The mint mark for San Francisco coins can be found on currency from 1854-1955 and 1968-present. There is a lot of interesting history behind the San Francisco mint which adds to the allure of collecting coins from them.