San Francisco Mint facts for kids
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Old United States Mint (San Francisco)
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The old San Francisco Mint building, built in 1874
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 Location in San Francisco County
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | Fifth and Mission Streets, San Francisco, California |
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| Built | 1869 |
| Architect | Alfred B. Mullett |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000231 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | July 4, 1961 |
The San Francisco Mint is a special branch of the United States Mint. It first opened in 1854. Its job was to turn gold from the California Gold Rush into coins.
The first building quickly became too small. So, a new building was opened in 1874. This building is known as the Old United States Mint. People also lovingly call it The Granite Lady. It is famous because it was one of the few buildings that survived the huge 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The Old Mint was used until 1937, when the current mint building opened.
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The Old Mint Building
In its first year, the San Francisco mint turned $4 million worth of gold bullion (pure gold) into coins. The second building, finished in 1874, was designed by Alfred B. Mullett. It was built in a classic Greek Revival style.
The building had a central entrance with a triangular top, called a pediment. It also had wings sticking out on the sides, shaped like an "E". Inside, there was a completely closed courtyard with a well. These features helped save the building during the 1906 fire. The intense heat melted its windows and even cracked some stone blocks.
The building sat on a strong foundation of concrete and granite. This was to stop anyone from trying to tunnel into its vaults. At the time of the 1906 fire, these vaults held $300 million. This was a huge amount, about one-third of all the gold the United States had! The head of the Mint, Frank A. Leach, and his team worked hard to save the building and the gold. The mint started working again soon after the earthquake and fire. It continued making coins until 1937.
In 1961, the Old Mint was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important place in American history. It also became a California Historical Landmark in 1974.
The nickname "The Granite Lady" is a bit misleading. Most of the building is actually made from sandstone. Only the very bottom part is made of granite. The name "The Granite Lady" was a marketing term that became popular in the 1970s.
The Old Mint was open for visitors until 1993. In 2003, the government sold the building to the City of San Francisco for just one dollar. This dollar was a special 1879 silver dollar made at the mint itself! The city planned to turn it into a history museum. It was going to be called the San Francisco Museum at the Mint.
In 2005, work began to fix up the building. They planned to put a glass roof over the central courtyard. In 2006, the U.S. Congress created a special coin to honor the Old Mint. This was the first time a coin honored a United States mint. The first part of the renovations finished in 2011.
Since then, the Old Mint has been used for special events. Sometimes these events are open to the public. In 2016, the California Historical Society agreed to help restore the building. They want to keep it as a public space for everyone to enjoy.
The New Mint Building
The new San Francisco Mint opened in 1937. For 13 years, starting in 1955, it stopped making coins for everyday use. In 1968, it started making most of the special "proof" coins. Proof coins are made with extra care for collectors.
From 1968 to 1974, it also made some regular coins. Since 1975, the San Francisco Mint has mostly made proof coins. However, it did make some Susan B. Anthony dollars from 1979-1981. It also made some cents in the early 1980s. More recently, it has made special America the Beautiful Quarters with an "S" mintmark for collectors.
Coins made at the San Francisco Mint have an "S" mintmark. This mark tells you where the coin was made.
From 1962 to 1988, the San Francisco Mint was officially an "assay office." This means it tested the purity of metals. On March 31, 1988, it became a full mint again. The San Francisco Mint is located at 155 Hermann Street. It is usually not open to visitors. But on May 15, 1987, for its 50th birthday, a few lucky people got to tour the building.
Commemorative Coins
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| Value | 5 U.S. Dollar |
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| Mass | 8.359 g |
| Diameter | .850 Inches mm |
| Thickness | ? mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Composition | 90%Gold/10%Alloy |
| Years of minting | 2006 |
| Catalog number | ? |
| Obverse | |
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| Design | The "Granite Lady" San Francisco Old Mint. Inscriptions: '1906-2006', 'Liberty', E Pluribus Unum' & 'San Francisco Earthquake and Fire Centennial' |
| Designer | Charles L. Vickers |
| Design date | 2006 |
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| Design | A replica of the 1906 Half-Eagle Coronet Liberty eagle reverse. Inscriptions: 'United States of America', 'In God We Trust', & 'Five D.' |
| Designer | Christian Gobrecht |
| Design date | 2006 |
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San Francisco Old Mint Gold Coin
In 2006, the United States Mint made a special gold five-dollar coin. This commemorative coin celebrated 100 years since the old San Francisco mint survived the big earthquake.
The mint was very important for the city's recovery after the earthquake. It was one of the few buildings left standing and even offered shelter to many people.
This coin was made in two types: "proof" and "uncirculated." Proof coins are very shiny and detailed, made for collectors. Uncirculated coins are also for collectors but have a regular coin finish. You can no longer buy these coins directly from the United States Mint.
On June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush signed a law to allow these coins to be made. They made up to 100,000 of the gold five-dollar coins.
San Francisco Old Mint Silver Coin
In 2006, the United States Mint also made a special silver dollar coin. This coin also celebrated the 100th anniversary of the old San Francisco mint surviving the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Like the gold coin, this silver coin honored the mint's role in helping San Francisco recover.
This coin was also sold as both a "proof" and an "uncirculated" coin. They made up to 500,000 of these silver coins.
The front side (called the obverse) of this coin shows the old San Francisco mint. The back side (called the reverse) has a design like the eagle from the 1904 Morgan silver dollars.
Images for kids
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The Old San Francisco Mint, c.2017.
See also
In Spanish: Casa de Moneda de San Francisco para niños
