Mint marks are letters that identify where a coin was made. They hold the maker responsible for the quality of a coin. When the U.S. used precious metals such as gold and silver to make circulating coins, a commission evaluated the metal compositions and quality of coins from each of the Mint facilities. The evaluations ensured that each facility produced coins to the correct specifications.
Philadelphia was the only branch in operation in the Mint’s earliest years, so identifying the sources of a coin was not necessary. A March 3, 1835 Congressional Act established mint marks in the United States, along with the first Mint branches. When the Mint branches in Charlotte, Dahlonega, and New Orleans opened in 1838, mint marks made their first appearance on U.S. coins. However, the practice of not identifying Philadelphia’s coins continued even after the first branches were established.
This changed in 1942. When nickel was removed from five-cent coins during World War II, the “P” mint mark first appeared on coins produced in Philadelphia. The mark’s position also moved from the right of Monticello to above the dome to indicate the new metal composition. After the war, when use of the regular alloy resumed, the mint mark returned to its former position and the Mint no longer used Philadelphia’s “P.”
In 1979, the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin was introduced. Once again, the “P” mint mark appeared. The following year, the “P” appeared on all of the denominations except the cent, which still holds true today.
The table below lists the mint marks for each of the Mint’s current and historic facilities, and the dates they used the mark.
Mint Branch
Mint Mark
Years Mark Used
Carson City (NV)
CC
1870-1893
Charlotte (NC)
C
1838-1861
Dahlonega (GA)
D
1838-1861
Denver (CO)
D
1906-Present
New Orleans (LA)
O
1838-1861, 1879-1909
Philadelphia (PA)
P
1942-45, 1979-Present
San Francisco (CA)
S
1854-1955, 1968-Present
West Point (NY)
W
1984-Present
Mint Mark Facts
No mint marks appeared on circulating coins from 1965 to 1967. The Coinage Act of 1965 eliminated mint marks to discourage collecting while the Mint worked to meet the country’s coinage needs.
Mint marks were placed on the reverse of coins until 1968 when they moved to the obverse.
The San Francisco Mint made circulating coins with the “S” mint mark from 1854 to 1955. After that, they produced “S” circulating coins from:
1968-1974: pennies
1968-1970: nickels
1979-1981: dollars
In 1968, proof coin production moved from the Philadelphia Mint to San Francisco and proof coins gained the “S” mint mark.
The West Point Bullion Depository made circulating pennies from 1973 to 1986 and circulating quarters in 1976 to 1979. The San Francisco Mint also produced circulating pennies around this time. These coins did not have mint marks so that they couldn’t be distinguished from Philadelphia coins.
In 2017, the “P” mint mark appeared for the first time on circulating pennies. This change was only for the 2017 issued cents, in honor of the U.S. Mint’s 225th anniversary.
In 2019, the “W” mint mark appeared for the first time on a circulating coin. The West Point Mint produced 10 million quarters in the 2019 America the Beautiful Quarters Program.
Mint Marks on Medals
Most medals don’t have mint marks. The Philadelphia Mint makes Congressional Gold Medals and their bronze duplicates, Presidential Medals, and most others. But for certain numismatic silver medals, other Mint facilities may help. The Mint places the mint mark on some of these medals for marketing reasons. The mark can be on the obverse or reverse side, depending on how it fits into the design.
Mint Marks on Dies
The Mint adds mint marks to the master hub, the first stage of the die making process. The Philadelphia Mint makes a master hub for each facility that will strike the coin.
A small letter or symbol on a coin used to identify where a coin was made. Current U.S. mint marks
mint marks
Mint marks are letters that identify where a coin was made. They hold the maker responsible for the quality of a coin. When the U.S. used precious metals such as gold and silver to make circulating coins, a commission evaluated the metal compositions and quality of coins from each of the Mint facilities.
The mint mark is the small letter that shows which Mint location made the coin. The two most common mint marks are the “P” for Philadelphia and “D” for Denver. The initials of the artist(s) who designed and sculpted the coin are also included in small letters. Other writing on a coin includes the date and inscriptions.
Typically, no mint mark coins are not worth much at face value. Still, coins minted with an error or those produced in a small volume may be worth significant money. For example, the San Francisco No S Proof coins mentioned above are more valuable than other counterparts without a mint mark.
The 1870-CC mint mark is especially notable for several coins: 1870-CC Liberty Seated Dollar: This coin is one of the rarest, with only 11,758 pieces minted. In high grades, it can fetch upwards of several hundred thousand dollars.
The 1941 quarter has at least six doubled-die errors plus the Large-S and Small-S mint mark varieties, according to Coin Value Lookup. All these errors make these quarters worth big paychecks. Regarding finding a quarter worth $35,000, the coin sold had the Canadian “1941” imprint behind the U.S. “DOLLAR.”
They have some modest value in mint states, namely MS 66 and 67. The 1977 No Mint Mark penny in MS 65 is worth around $1 to $2. No Mint Mark penny in MS 67 was sold at Heritage Auction in January 2023 for $195. On the hand, the same specimen with the same grade sold for $67 in April 2023.
"This rare 1983-D copper penny is likely a type of coin known as a transitional error. In other words, it's an error coin involving unusual circ*mstances with its composition during a period when the U.S. Mint was changing the metal content of that coin.
These five state quarters may be the hardest to find based on mintage data: Oklahoma: 416.6 million minted. Maine: 448.8 million minted. Wisconsin: 453.2 million minted.
Even uncirculated pieces are affordable, and you should set aside a modest $1 to $1.20 for those ranked MS 60 to MS 62. Better-graded quarters are slightly more expensive, with a price range from $3 to $30, while those in MS 67 grade are estimated at $280 to $336.
According to the NGC Price Guide, as of May 2024, a Kennedy Half Dollar from 1776-1976 S in circulated condition is worth between $3.90 and $4.40. However, on the open market 1776-1976 S SILVER Half Dollars in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $12500.
The current mint marks on United States coinage are P, D, S, and W for the 4 currently operating US Mints. The letter P is used for the Philadelphia Mint, D for the Denver Mint, S for the San Francisco Mint, and W for the West Point Mint.
Branch mint coins have the following mintmarks: Charlotte (C), Carson City (CC), Dahlonega (D), Denver (D), New Orleans (O), San Francisco (S) and West Point (W).
Current U.S. mint marks are P (Philadelphia), D (Denver), S (San Francisco), and W (West Point). Learn more about mint marks. The part of a coin's design that is raised above the surface. The flat portion of a coin's surface not used for design or inscription.
What Are Coins With No Mint Marks? Not all coins have mint marks. For many years, Philadelphia minted millions of coins without their (P) mint mark simply because they were the only Mint in production, and there was no need to verify the location where the coin was struck.
So, if you come across a coin without a mint mark, it's most likely a product of the Philadelphia Mint. This means the various mint marks found on Morgan Silver Dollars don't just represent the origin of the coin; they tell a story of American history, industrial growth, and geographical expansion.
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Philadelphia was the only branch in operation in the Mint’s earliest years, so identifying the sources of a coin was not necessary. A March 3, 1835 Congressional Act established mint marks in the United States, along with the first Mint branches. When the Mint branches in Charlotte, Dahlonega, and New Orleans opened in 1838, mint marks made their first appearance on U.S. coins. However, the practice of not identifying Philadelphia’s coins continued even after the first branches were established.
Most medals don’t have mint marks. The Philadelphia Mint makes Congressional Gold Medals and their bronze duplicates, Presidential Medals, and most others. But for certain numismatic silver medals, other Mint facilities may help. The Mint places the mint mark on some of these medals for marketing reasons. The mark can be on the obverse or reverse side, depending on how it fits into the design.