Coins of the United States dollar – aside from those of the earlier Continental currency – were first minted in 1792. New coins have been produced annually and they comprise a significant aspect of the United States currency system. Circulating coins exist in denominations of 1¢ (i.e. 1 cent or $0.01), 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 50¢, and $1.00. Also minted are bullion, including gold, silver and platinum, and commemorative coins. All of these are produced by the United States Mint. The coins are then sold to Federal Reserve Banks which in turn put coins into circulation and withdraw them as demanded by the United States economy.
Four mints currently operate in the United States producing billions of coins each year. The main mint is the Philadelphia Mint, [1] which produces circulating coinage, mint sets and some commemorative coins. The Denver Mint [2] also produces circulating coinage, mint sets and commemoratives. The San Francisco Mint [3] produces regular and silver proof coinage, and produced circulating coinage until the 1970s. The West Point Mint [4] produces bullion coinage (including proofs). Philadelphia and Denver produce the dies used at all of the mints. The proof and mint sets are manufactured each year and contain examples of all of the year's circulating coins.
The producing mint of each coin may be easily identified, as most coins bear a mint mark. The identifying letter of the mint can be found on the front side of most coins, and is often placed near the year. Unmarked coins are issued by the Philadelphia mint. Among marked coins, Philadelphia coins bear a letter P. Denver coins bear a letter D, San Francisco coins bear a letter S, and West Point coins bear a letter W. S and W coins are rarely found in general circulation, although S coins bearing dates prior to the mid-1970s are in circulation. The CC, O, C, and D mint marks were used on gold and silver coins for various periods from the mid-19th century until the early 20th century by temporary mints in Carson City, Nevada; New Orleans, Louisiana; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Dahlonega, Georgia. Most such coins that still exist are now in the hands of collectors and museums.
Value | Image | Specifications [5] [6] | Description | Minted | Usage | Common name | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Obverse | Reverse | Diameter | Thickness | Mass | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse | ||||
1¢ | 19.05 mm (0.750 in) | 1.52 mm (0.060 in) | 1909–1942 3.11 g (48.0 gr) |
copper 95% tin/ zinc 5% |
plain | Abraham Lincoln | Wheat | 1909–1958 | wide 2 | wheat cent, wheat penny, wheatie | ||
1943: ? | steel/ zinc 1 | rare 2 | ||||||||||
1944–1946: ? | salvaged brass composition 1 | wide 2 | ||||||||||
1947–1982 3.11 g (48.0 gr) |
copper 95% tin/ zinc 5% |
wide 2 | ||||||||||
Lincoln Memorial | 1959–2008 | wide | cent, penny | |||||||||
1982–present 2.50 g (38 gr) |
Core: zinc 97.5% Plating: copper 2.5% 1 | |||||||||||
see article: Lincoln Bicentennial cents (2009) | Lincoln bicentennial designs | 2009 | ||||||||||
Union shield | 2010–present | |||||||||||
5¢ | 21.21 mm (0.835 in) | 1.95 mm (0.077 in) | 5.000 g (77.16 gr) |
copper 75% nickel 25% 3 |
plain | Thomas Jefferson (profile) | Monticello | 1938–2003 | wide | nickel | ||
see article: Westward Journey nickel | Lewis & Clark bicentennial designs | 2004–2005 | ||||||||||
Thomas Jefferson (portrait) | Monticello | 2006–present | ||||||||||
10¢ | 17.91 mm (0.705 in) | 1.35 mm (0.053 in) | 2.268 g (35.00 gr) | Core: copper 100% Plating: copper 75% nickel 25% Overall: copper 91.67% nickel 8.33% 4 |
118 reeds | Franklin D. Roosevelt | torch, oak branch, olive branch | 1946–present | wide | dime | ||
25¢ | 24.26 mm (0.955 in) | 1.75 mm (0.069 in) | 5.670 g (87.50 gr) | 119 reeds | George Washington | Bald eagle | 1932–1974, 1977–1998 5 | wide | quarter, quarter dollar | |||
Bicentennial colonial military drummer | (1975) 1976 5 | |||||||||||
Washington crossing the Delaware | 2021 | |||||||||||
see article: 50 State quarters | State Quarter Series | 1999–2008 | ||||||||||
see article: D.C. and U.S. Territories quarters | D.C. and U. S. Territories Quarters | 2009 | ||||||||||
see article: America the Beautiful quarters | America the Beautiful Quarters | 2010–2021 | ||||||||||
see article: American Women quarters | American Women quarters | 2022–2025 | ||||||||||
50¢ |
30.61 mm (1.205 in) | 2.15 mm (0.085 in) | 11.34 g (175.0 gr) | 150 reeds | John F. Kennedy | Seal of the president of the United States surrounded by 50 stars | 1964–1974, 1977–present 5 | limited 6 | half, half dollar, 50-cent piece | |||
Independence Hall | (1975) 1976 5 | |||||||||||
$1 |
38.1 mm (1.500 in) | 2.58 mm (0.102 in) | 22.68 g (0.8 oz) (350 gr) |
reeded | Dwight D. Eisenhower | Apollo 11 mission insignia | 1971–1974, 1977–1978 | limited | large dollar, Ike dollar, silver dollar | |||
Liberty Bell superimposed over the Moon | 1975–1976 | |||||||||||
26.50 mm (1.043 in) | 2.00 mm (0.079 in) | 8.10 g (125 gr) |
reeded | Susan B. Anthony | Apollo 11 mission insignia | 1979–1981, 1999 8 | limited | SBA, Suzie B., Anthony, silver dollar | ||||
$1 |
26.49 mm (1.043 in) | 2.00 mm (0.079 in) | 8.10 g (125 gr) |
Core: 100% Cu Cladding: 77% Cu, 12% Zn, 7% Mn, 4% Ni Overall: 88.5% Cu, 6% Zn, 3.5% Mn, 2% Ni |
plain | Sacagawea | Bald eagle in flight | 2000–2008 | limited 7 | dollar coin, gold(en) dollar, Sacagawea | ||
see article: Native American redesign (2009–present) | incused inscriptions | Native American Themes | 2009–present (after 2012 not for circulation) [7] | |||||||||
see article: Presidential dollar coins 7 | Each deceased president | Statue of Liberty | 2007–2016, 2020 (after 2012 not for circulation) | dollar coin, gold(en) dollar | ||||||||
see article: American Innovation dollars 9 | Statue of Liberty 10 | Various designs, honoring an innovation or innovator from each state | 2018–2032 (not currently circulated) | |||||||||
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table. |
Non-circulating bullion coins have been produced each year since 1986. They can be found in gold, silver, platinum (since 1997), and palladium (since 2017). The face value of these coins is legal as tender, but does not actually reflect the value of the precious metal contained therein. On May 11, 2011, Utah became the first state to accept these coins as the value of the precious metal in common transactions. The Utah State Treasurer assigns a numerical precious metal value to these coins each week based on the spot metal prices. The bullion coin types include "S" (San Francisco, 1986–1992), "P" (Philadelphia, 1993 – 2000), and "W" (West Point, New York, 2001–present). [9]
Metal | Type | Face Value | Images | Specifications | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Obverse | Reverse | Diameter | Fineness | Content | Dates | |||
Silver | America the Beautiful silver bullion coins | 25¢ | see article: America the Beautiful quarters | 76.2 mm | 999 fine | 5.00 ozt (155.52 g) | 2010–2021 | |
American Silver Eagle | $1 | 40.6 mm | 1.00 ozt (31.10 g) | 1986–2021 | ||||
2021 – present | ||||||||
Gold | American Gold Eagle | $5 | 16.5 mm | 916 fine (22 karat) | 0.10 ozt (3.11 g) | 1986–2021 | ||
2021 – present | ||||||||
$10 | 22.0 mm | 0.25 ozt (7.78 g) | 1986–2021 | |||||
2021 – present | ||||||||
$25 | 27.0 mm | 0.50 ozt (15.55 g) | 1986–2021 | |||||
2021 – present | ||||||||
$50 | 32.7 mm | 1.00 ozt (31.10 g) | 1986–2021 | |||||
2021 – present | ||||||||
American Buffalo | $5 | 16.5 mm | 999.9 fine (24 karat) | 0.10 ozt (3.11 g) | 2008 | |||
$10 | 22.0 mm | 0.25 ozt (7.78 g) | 2008 | |||||
$25 | 27.0 mm | 0.50 ozt (15.55 g) | 2008 | |||||
$50 | 32.7 mm | 1.00 ozt (31.10 g) | 2006 – present | |||||
American Liberty high relief gold coin | $100 | see article: American Liberty high relief gold coin | 30.61 mm | 1.00 ozt (31.10 g) | 2015 – present | |||
Platinum | American Platinum Eagle | $10 | 16.5 mm | 999.5 fine | 0.10 ozt (3.11 g) | 1997–2008 | ||
$25 | 22.0 mm | 0.25 ozt (7.78 g) | 1997–2008 | |||||
$50 | 27.0 mm | 0.50 ozt (15.55 g) | 1997–2008 | |||||
$100 | 32.7 mm | 1.00 ozt (31.10 g) | 1997 – present | |||||
Palladium | American Palladium Eagle | $25 | 32.7 mm | 999.5 fine | 1.00 ozt (31.10 g) | 2017 – present | ||
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table. |
Modern commemoratives have been minted since 1982. A list is available here.
Type | Total Weight | Diameter | Composition | Face Value | Precious Metal Content |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Half Dollar | 11.34 g | 30.61 mm (1.205 in) | Cu 92%, Ni 8% | 50¢ | none |
12.50 g | Ag 90%, Cu 10% | silver 10.25374 g (~0.36169 ozt) | |||
Dollar | 26.73 g | 38.1 mm (1.500 in) | Ag 90%, Cu 10% | $1 | silver 24.057 g (~0.773 ozt) |
Ag 99.9% | silver | ||||
Half Eagle | 8.539 g | 21.59 mm (0.850 in) | Au 90%, Ag 6%, Cu 4% | $5 | gold 7.523 g (~0.2418 ozt) |
Eagle | 16.718 g | 26.92 mm (1.060 in) | Au 90%, Ag 6%, Cu 4% | $10 | gold 15.05 g (~0.484 ozt) |
Bi-metallic Eagle | 16.259 g | 26.92 mm (1.060 in) | Au 48%, Pt 48%, alloy 4% | gold, platinum | |
First Spouse Gold Bullion | 14.175 g | 26.49 mm (1.043 in) | Au 99.99% | gold 14.175 g (~0.456 ozt) |
List of current and past United States Mint branches and mint marks found on their coins:
Mint | Mint mark | Metal minted | Year established | Current status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Denver | D | All metals | 1906 | Facility open |
Philadelphia | P or none [a] | All metals | 1792 | Facility open |
San Francisco | S | All metals | 1854 | Facility open (mainly produces proof) |
West Point | W or none [b] | Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium | 1973 | Facility open (mainly produces bullion) |
Carson City | CC | Gold and Silver | 1870 | Facility closed, 1893 [c] |
Charlotte | C | Gold only | 1838 | Facility closed, 1861 |
Dahlonega | D [d] | Gold only | 1838 | Facility closed, 1861 |
Manila [e] | M or none [f] | All metals | 1920 | Facility closed, 1922; re-opened 1925–1941 |
New Orleans | O | Gold and Silver | 1838 | Facility closed, 1861; re-opened 1879–1909 [g] |
The law governing obsolete, mutilated, and worn coins and currency, including types which are no longer in production (e.g. Indian cents), can be found in 31 U.S.C. § 5120.
Note: It is a common misconception that "eagle"-based nomenclature for gold U.S. coinage was merely slang. The "eagle," "half-eagle" and "quarter-eagle" were specifically given these names in the Coinage Act of 1792. Likewise, the double eagle was specifically created as such by name ("An Act to authorize the Coinage of Gold Dollars and Double Eagles", title and section 1, March 3, 1849).
Although the term mill (also mil or mille) was defined in the eighteenth century as 1⁄1,000 of a dollar or 0.1¢, no coin smaller than 0.5¢ has ever been officially minted in the U.S. However, unofficial mill coins, also called "tenth cent" or "tax-help coins", made of diverse materials—plastic, wood, tin, and others—were produced as late as the 1960s by some states, localities, and private businesses for tax payments and to render change for small purchases.
The alteration or lightening of U.S. coins for fraudulent purposes is illegal. [10] It is generally legal to melt down coins for the use of their constituent metals, but the Treasury Department has occasionally prohibited melting down and mass exportation when the value of the metal exceeds the face value of the coin. This has happened from 1967 to 1969 for silver coins, from 1974 to 1978 for pennies, and since 2006 for pennies and nickels. [11] The use of elongated coin presses is considered legal because it is not for fraudulent purposes.