Do you see the little letter on some of your coins and wonder why it is there?  This is called a Mint Mark and identifies where the coins were made.  Differing mint marks can dramatically effect the value of your coin.

A Brief Guide to Mint Marks

What Is a Mint Mark?

While coin buying, you may notice many U.S. coins feature a single capital letter or symbol known as a mint mark. These markings indicate the city in which the piece was produced. For example, D stands for Denver, S means San Francisco, and W-marked coins are from the West Point mint. If there is no mint mark, the coin was made in Philadelphia, the main coining facility in the U.S.

In the past, mint marks helped officials would know where to return flawed coins following a quality inspection. The symbols also helped panels monitor patterns—if a specific mint regularly produced problem coins, the issue could then be investigated and corrected. 

Where Can I Find Mint Marks?

As you move forward with your collection, remember that not every mint mark is in the same spot. For example, on quarters, the mint mark sits on the side with George Washington’s portrait, under the text, “In God We Trust.” On the Lincoln cent, the mint mark is just underneath the date on the portrait side, also known as the obverse. To find out where the mint mark is on older issues you can reference a coin book such as The Guidebook to US Coinage, or ask a professional.

How Can Two U.S. Mints Have The Same Mint Mark?

While most cities have their own letters, one exception is the “D” mint mark. This letter was used by the Dahlonega Mint in Georgia as well as for the Denver Mint. Dahlonega, first opened in 1838, only produced gold coins.  It closed in 1861 during the civil war making it one of  the shortest running mints in U.S. history. As a result, coins produced there are very scarce and valuable today.

The Denver Mint, on the other hand, began production in 1906 and continues to today.  They minted coins of all denominations, not just gold.  

The only example of a two letter mint mark is CC for the famous Carson City Mint in Nevada.  This mint was in operation from 1870-1893 and was famous for minting silver dollars.  

If you are interested in learning more about the world of coin buying, contact Coins Plus in Cincinnati, OH. They have been buying and selling rare coins since 1972 and will give you an honest appraisal of your collection. To learn more about their inventory and other numismatic services, visit their website. You can also call (513) 621-1996 to speak with their experienced coin dealers. 

Body Image Source: Lost Dutchman Rare Coin