A mint mark is a small letter or symbol on a coin that identifies the minting facility where the coin was produced.
Mint marks primarily serve two key purposes:
- Accountability: Historically, mint marks were used to hold a specific mint accountable for the quality, weight, and size of the coins it produced. This was especially important when coins were valued based on the precious metal content.
- Identification: They help distinguish coins from different mints, which can significantly affect a coin’s rarity, desirability, and value for collectors and investors.
The United States has several current and historic minting facilities, each with its unique mark:
- P: Philadelphia
- D: Denver
- S: San Francisco
- W: West Point
- CC: Carson City (historic)
- O: New Orleans (historic)
- C: Charlotte (historic)
- D: Dahlonega (historic)
Mint marks are typically found on the obverse (front) of the coin, but the specific location can vary depending on the coin’s series and year of production. For example, on the Lincoln Cent, it’s found below the date.
Mint marks are crucial for coin collectors because they can affect a coin’s value. Coins from mints with lower production numbers, like Carson City (CC), are generally rarer and more valuable. Even a coin without a mint mark can be significant, as it usually indicates it was produced in Philadelphia before the mint started routinely adding the “P” mark to most of its coins.
How do you tell if a coin has a mint mark?
A mint mark is a small letter (D and S being the most commonly encountered) somewhere on the coin. A mint mark tells you where the coin was made. Many coins also have the designer’s initials hidden somewhere in the design. This is not the mint mark.
When did they stop putting mint marks on coins?
Good point! Mint marks have not been on United States coins since passage of the Coinage Act of 1965 which prohibited the use of mint marks because of the coin shortage. In 1967 the Congress repealed this prohibition thereby authorizing the restoration of mint marks.