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Why do coins from New Orleans have an "O" mint mark?

Shouldn't it have been N?
San Francisco minted coins have S and not F so why is New Orleans different?

Comments

  • derrybderryb Posts: 36,118 ✭✭✭✭✭
    New Orleans has always been quite different than SF.

    The decline from democracy to tyranny is both a natural and inevitable one.

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 33,811 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>New Orleans has always been quite different than SF. >>



    And they are both different than Carson City.
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    "N" would've made some sense, but if one followed that logic, you'd end up with "NO" on a coin.

    Then again, we have "S" for San Francisco instead of "SF", so one indeed wonders why they didn't use an "N".

    In Imperial Germany (and later), their mintmark letters had no correspondence to the first letter of the mint name.

    So you had "A" for Berlin, "B" for Hannover, "C" for Frankfurt, "D" for Munich, etc.

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  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 33,811 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Since New Orleans was opened in 1838 and San Francisco in 1854, shouldn't the question be:

    Why do coins from San Francisco have a "S" mint mark?

    Shouldn't it have been F?
    New Orleans minted coins have O and not N so why is San Francisco different?

    image
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Good point. San Francisco's coins should have had an "F" mintmark, had the Mint followed the precedent set by putting "O" on New Orleans coins 16 years earlier.

    But I guess logic doesn't always prevail.

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  • howardshowards Posts: 1,239 ✭✭✭
    Perhaps they were chosen for readability? An O could be mistaken for a Q, but a Q is unlikely. An N could be mistaken for an M.

    An S doesn't look like another letter. An F could be mistaken for an E.

    When you're talking about tiny letters on coins, readability counts!

    Another (dumb) theory: The guy who made the decision for San Francisco said "F," but the guy who carried it out heard "S." image
  • jmcu12jmcu12 Posts: 2,452 ✭✭✭
    Because an O was easier....get it Easy....The Big Easy!! image


    I am here all day folks!!! image
    Awarded latest "YOU SUCK!": June 11, 2014
  • TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭
    O was used for New Orleans, per my understand because at the time there was some discussion of opening a mint in New York, and the N was reserved for NY
    Frank

    BHNC #203

  • MrHalfDimeMrHalfDime Posts: 3,440 ✭✭✭✭
    "O was used for New Orleans, per my understand because at the time there was some discussion of opening a mint in New York, and the N was reserved for NY"

    Although I am not certain of the reason why "O" was used, this would seem to be the most plausible.
    They that can give up essential Liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,499 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>O was used for New Orleans, per my understand because at the time there was some discussion of opening a mint in New York, and the N was reserved for NY >>



    Have never heard that theory, but it is plausible.

    Or perhaps it was just different people making the decision at different times, and one thought that the initial of the principal word in the name (Orleans) was more important, while the other thought that the initial of the first word in the name (San) was more important.

    TD
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • claychaserclaychaser Posts: 4,405 ✭✭✭✭
    image


    ==Looking for pre WW2 Commems in PCGS Rattler holders, 1851-O Three Cent Silvers in all grades



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  • silverpopsilverpop Posts: 6,591 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Let's see

    when one doesn't know the answer, then one researches the subject and finds the answer
  • jesbrokenjesbroken Posts: 9,155 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I would guess that it was because New Orleans was named after a capital city(Loiret department
    and of the Centre-Val de Loire) in France called Orleans and also the Duke of Orleans, according
    to which historical reference you use. As New Orleans was founded in 1718 and was during the reign
    of the Duke of Orleans. Realizing that this city was founded by French colonists, I would imagine that
    use of the letter N would have not been a consideration, but O would and was. Just an opinion.
    Jim

    When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln

    Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
  • jesbrokenjesbroken Posts: 9,155 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Another item that may be of interest is that according to the INTERACTIVE TIMELINE History of the United States Mint
    website (http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/mint_facilities/?action=timeline) New York was never considered as
    a future US Mint facility throughout the Mint history. Although, many, many other cities were.
    Jim

    When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln

    Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>But I guess logic doesn't always prevail. >>



    Correct LordM...especially when dealing with government bureaucracies....image Cheers, RickO
  • bolivarshagnastybolivarshagnasty Posts: 7,348 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I would guess that it was because New Orleans was named after a capital city(Loiret department
    and of the Centre-Val de Loire) in France called Orleans and also the Duke of Orleans, according
    to which historical reference you use. As New Orleans was founded in 1718 and was during the reign
    of the Duke of Orleans. Realizing that this city was founded by French colonists, I would imagine that
    use of the letter N would have not been a consideration, but O would and was. Just an opinion.
    Jim >>



    This answer is probably closest to the truth.

    I worked in Orlean for 6 weeks years ago, beautiful area , and lots of castles. Oh, and a river that flows over another river. LOL
  • DaveGDaveG Posts: 3,535
    Another item that may be of interest is that according to the INTERACTIVE TIMELINE History of the United States Mint
    website (http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/mint_facilities/?action=timeline) New York was never considered as
    a future US Mint facility throughout the Mint history. Although, many, many other cities were.



    Although this may be on the Mint's website, it doesn't reflect reality - there were significant political struggles in Congress throughout the first half of the 19th century or so to locate a mint in New York.

    New York was the country's commercial center and where the money was - it cost the merchants of New York time and money to send their bullion and foreign coins to Philadelphia to be minted into US coins.

    The political squabbling didn't end until the US Assay Office was established in New York in 1854 (as part of the political deal that established the SF mint).

    Check out the Southern Gold Society

  • LakesammmanLakesammman Posts: 17,282 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Read this with a southern drawl.

    "Traveling to Orleans today".

    I think they always just dropped the "New". image
    "My friends who see my collection sometimes ask what something costs. I tell them and they are in awe at my stupidity." (Baccaruda, 12/03).I find it hard to believe that he (Trump) rushed to some hotel to meet girls of loose morals, although ours are undoubtedly the best in the world. (Putin 1/17) Gone but not forgotten. IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Broadstruck, Ricko.
  • AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 24,515 ✭✭✭✭✭
    "NEW" is a descriptor and Orleans is the town. Pretty simple.

    bobimage
    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
  • MidLifeCrisisMidLifeCrisis Posts: 10,504 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think they chose the "O" mint mark just to screw with collectors.
  • TomBTomB Posts: 20,697 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I think they chose the "O" mint mark just to screw with collectors. >>


    image
    Thomas Bush Numismatics & Numismatic Photography

    In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson

    image
  • TopographicOceansTopographicOceans Posts: 6,535 ✭✭✭✭
    If they would have opened a mint in New York, they probably would have used the mint mark Y image
  • woogloutwooglout Posts: 200 ✭✭✭
    Because they knew a Manilla branch would be opened and didn't want any confusion...

    Slightly more serious, and O is an easier punch to make than an N? I have no idea...
  • WoodenJeffersonWoodenJefferson Posts: 6,491 ✭✭✭✭
    So when you find a real gem and flip it over and go "Ohhhhhhh" it's a coin from Naw'lins.
    Chat Board Lingo

    "Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 27,412 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>O was used for New Orleans, per my understand because at the time there was some discussion of opening a mint in New York, and the N was reserved for NY >>

    ( we have west point to now unless if im missing something here )
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,499 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 21, 2019 9:53AM
    Roger Burdette informs me that from the 1790's on New York City did want THE Mint, and even tried to get it moved there from Philadelphia, but they were never able to swing the vote to do so.

    He also says that the Mint hierarchy probably kept this in mind when they were assigning mint marks in the 1830's, and left "N" open for possible future assignment to New York. That never happened and New York got the big Assay Office instead, which seemed to quiet down calls for a Mint.

    TD
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 43,796 ✭✭✭✭✭
    NO was not an option. image
  • winkywinky Posts: 1,671
    As they say "O" why not?

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