100 Years ago - A Robbery at the Denver U.S. Mint That Was Never Solved

1630Boston

A Robbery at the Denver U.S. Mint That Was Never Solved
The only confirmed member was eventually found…dead.

Nearly a century ago, the Denver Mint was robbed in Colorado one morning in a case that remains unsolved to this day.

Mint Job
On December 18, 1922, a day like any other as a Federal Reserve Bank truck sat outside the U.S. Mint in Denver, Colorado. At the time, the guards on duty had just loaded up a total of $200,000 when, at 10:30 a.m., a group of thieves pulled up in a Buick beside the truck. While one of them stayed behind the wheel as the getaway, the other three men jumped out. As one robber rushed to the rear of the truck, firing at and fatally striking a guard, Charles Linton, in the process, a second thief smashed open the truck’s window. As the money was lifted out by the second man, the other two sprayed the Mint building with bullets from their sawed-off shotguns.

As the bandits went to work, and the alarms bell clanged away, employees of the Mint building grabbed their rifles and returned fire. Within seconds, bullets peppered West Colfax, several other buildings nearby as well as the side of the Mint building itself. Finally, 90 seconds later, shots stopped flying from both directions. The robbers ultimately got away, driving east on Colfax, with 50 packages of $5 bills in tow.
more here https://nicolehenley.medium.com/the-great-mint-robbery-1b197d7e2014
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ricko

Well that is strange. At the end of the article, it says all were identified and either dead or serving time in prison for other crimes. What is left to solve?? Cheers, RickO

Estil

Did they have records of the serial numbers? There may be some of those around today!

CaptHenway

@Estil said:
Did they have records of the serial numbers? There may be some of those around today!

Yes they did.

Estil

@CaptHenway said:

@Estil said:
Did they have records of the serial numbers? There may be some of those around today!

Yes they did.

Soooo...did any of those numbers turn up on Ebay or something lately?

Tomthemailcarrier

Who would’ve known that currency was being stored at the Denver mint? It sounds like someone had inside information. Much easier to grab paper than heavy sacks of coins.

CoffeeTime

Fascinating story. Thanks for post that.

divecchia

Cool story, thanks for sharing it.

Donato

Jzyskowski1

I learn something new everyday.
That’s interesting. The federal reserve usually issues currency to banks.
I too, wondering about inside job 😉🦫🙀

dcarr

Old Buicks are built like tanks.

gonzer

Interesting. $200,000. The exact amount DB Cooper demanded.

WillieBoyd2

In 1963 the CBS television program "Route 66" had an episode "A Cage In Search Of A Bird" about one of the "Denver Mint" robbers being paroled.

CaptHenway

@Tomthemailcarrier said:
Who would’ve known that currency was being stored at the Denver mint? It sounds like someone had inside information. Much easier to grab paper than heavy sacks of coins.

In 1921 the U.S. Sub-Treasuries were closed down and their functions taken over by the Federal Reserve Banks. The FRB's stored some of their cash assets at the three Mints, at least for a while. I don't think is was supposed to be a secret, but I do not know that. How this affected the 1922-D cent coinage will be covered in my book on the 1922-D cents.

Roger Burdette is writing something on how new money was distributed to banks and such over time. Perhaps he will cover this robbery.

1630Boston

Can't wait for the book @CaptHenway