United States Mint
Also: U.S. Mint, US Mint
The United States Mint is the official coinage authority of the United States and, since 1792, has issued legal tender as well as bullion coins in gold, silver and platinum.
The United States Mint (U.S. Mint) is the state coinage authority of the USA and was established by the Coinage Act of 1792. It reports to the US Treasury and has the statutory mandate to produce circulating coins for payment transactions, collector coins and bullion coins for investors. For precious metal buyers worldwide, the U.S. Mint is known above all as the issuer of the most-traded bullion coins in the world - its products are regarded as a benchmark for quality and security against counterfeiting.
Locations and Mint Marks
The U.S. Mint today operates four active mints:
| Location | Mint mark | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | P (or no mark) | circulating coins, bullion |
| Denver | D | circulating coins |
| San Francisco | S | proof coins, collector pieces |
| West Point (New York) | W | bullion coins, proof gold/silver |
The mint mark on a coin allows conclusions to be drawn about the place of production and is an important authenticity feature.
Most Important Bullion Coins
American Eagle (since 1986): the best-known US bullion coin has been minted in gold and silver since 1986; platinum Eagles followed in 1997. The Gold Eagle is made of a 22-carat alloy (916.7) with copper and silver added for greater hardness - similar to the Krugerrand. The Silver Eagle contains one troy ounce of silver at 999 fineness and is the world's best-selling silver bullion product.
American Buffalo (since 2006): at the request of investors who prefer pure gold, the U.S. Mint introduced the Buffalo with a fineness of 999.9 (24 carat). It is regarded as the counterpart to the Vienna Philharmonic and the Maple Leaf.
The current gold price and silver price - and thus the base value of all bullion coins - are shown in real time on the respective price page.
Quality Assurance and Authenticity Testing
Every bullion coin from the U.S. Mint carries exact weight, diameter and thickness specifications. The Silver Eagle, for example, weighs exactly 31.103 g at 40.6 mm in diameter. Deviations are a strong indication of counterfeits. The coin weight checker allows target and actual values to be compared quickly; the coin authenticity check guides you through further test steps (magnet test, ping test, density).
Collector Coins and Proof Issues
Alongside bullion coins, the U.S. Mint produces high-quality proof versions with a mirror finish as well as numismatic collector pieces. Proof issues often command a considerable premium over the pure metal value. In investment decisions between bullion and collector coins, the premium effect should be taken into account (not investment advice).
In Brief
The U.S. Mint stands for state-guaranteed quality and, with the American Eagle and American Buffalo, is the first choice for every precious metal investor worldwide when it comes to recognised, liquid standard products.