Mintage refers to two things:
- The process of producing coins at a mint.
- The total number of coins produced in a specific period.
This number, often found in official reports, helps collectors assess a coin’s rarity and market value.
Mintage numbers can typically be found in mint reports, numismatic reference books like “A Guide Book of United States Coins,” and online databases such as the U.S. Mint’s historical data section or numismatic forums.
Coins with lower mintage numbers are generally rarer and more valuable. The 1909-S V.D.B. Lincoln cent, with a mintage of about 484,000, is highly valued due to its scarcity, while the 1944 Lincoln Cent has the highest mintage for its type at over 1.4 billion. The 1875 $10 Liberty Eagle Gold Coin holds the record for the lowest mintage of a U.S. gold coin, with only 100 struck.
Beyond mintage, a coin’s value is influenced by its survival rate, demand, condition, and mint marks.
In 2024, U.S. coin production reached its lowest point since the Great Recession, with cents, nickels, and dimes having their lowest annual mintages since 2009. Production costs for pennies and nickels exceeded their face value. The 2024-D Zitkala-Ša quarter and the 2024-P Dr. Mary Edwards Walker quarter are the scarcest in the American Women Quarters series from their respective mints.
Note: Mintage figures can change as production continues and new coins are released.
How do I find the mintage of a coin?
Good point! Finding mintage figures can be difficult, but the original mint is usually a good place to start. Visiting the product page they will typically list within the specifications either the mintage figures, or the issue limit, depending on what is currently publicly available.
What mintage makes a coin rare?
Consider the Coin’s Mintage
The mintage, or the number of coins minted, is another important factor in determining a coin’s rarity. Generally, the lower the mintage, the rarer the coin. This is especially true for early coins, which often had very low mintages.
How many U.S. coins are minted each year?
The Mint makes more than 10 billion circulating coins a year.