Home U.S. Coin Forum

No mintmark always equals Philadelphia?

I know that on circulating coinage, the absence of a mintmark indicates that a coin was minted in Philadelphia. Is the same always true on non-circulating coinage, such as American Gold Eagles and the 1926 Sesquicentennial commemorative coin?

Comments

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,868 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Generally, yes. One exception that I can think of is the 1922 cent where the D mintmark was removed by over polishing the die.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • Morgan WhiteMorgan White Posts: 9,228 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 18, 2025 7:14AM

    Lots of circulating coins with no mintmarks were minted elsewhere. West Point minted cents in the 1970's. Then there's the obvious 1965-1967 coinage etc. SMS sets were minted in SF also.

  • JBNJBN Posts: 1,909 ✭✭✭✭✭

    A portion of 1840 half dollars without a mintmark were minted in New Orleans.

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 36,752 ✭✭✭✭✭

    They've done a lot of eagles at West Point with no mint mark

  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,861 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The Pilgrim commem has what appears to be a “D” mint mark but was actually
    Minted in Philly. In this case, the “D” stands for Cyrus Dallin, the coin’s designer.

  • robecrobec Posts: 6,866 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Certain years for ASE’s had no mint mark but were minted in San Francisco.

  • cinque1543cinque1543 Posts: 239 ✭✭✭

    Interesting. So I guess "no mintmark" means, at best, that a coin likely was minted in Philadelphia. Thanks.

  • JBKJBK Posts: 16,450 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @cinque1543 said:
    Interesting. So I guess "no mintmark" means, at best, that a coin likely was minted in Philadelphia. Thanks.

    I think that statement gives the wrong impression.

    With a few exceptions, such as those mentioned above, lack of a mintmark is a definite indicator that a coin was minted in Philadelphia - not "likely minted", but definitely minted. The exceptions are known and only in those specifics cases is there an alternate scenario.

  • RarityRarity Posts: 1,450 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 18, 2025 10:15AM

    1968 and 1970 San Francisco proof dimes without S mint mark.

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,769 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Fort Vancouver half, minted in SF without a mint mark.

    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.
  • gumby1234gumby1234 Posts: 5,757 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 18, 2025 3:12PM

    You forgot 1975 no S

    @Rarity said:
    1968 and 1970 San Francisco proof dimes without S mint mark.

    Successful BST with ad4400, Kccoin, lablover, pointfivezero, koynekwest, jwitten, coin22lover, HalfDimeDude, erwindoc, jyzskowsi, COINS MAKE CENTS, AlanSki, BryceM

  • The_Dinosaur_ManThe_Dinosaur_Man Posts: 1,097 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @gumby1234 said:

    You forgot 1975 no S

    @Rarity said:
    1968 and 1970 San Francisco proof dimes without S mint mark.

    And the 1983 no S

    Custom album maker and numismatic photographer.
    Need a personalized album made? Design it on the website below and I'll build it for you.
    https://www.donahuenumismatics.com/.

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,769 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @The_Dinosaur_Man said:

    @gumby1234 said:

    You forgot 1975 no S

    @Rarity said:
    1968 and 1970 San Francisco proof dimes without S mint mark.

    And the 1983 no S

    Don't forget the Mysterious 40% Silver Bicentennial Proofs (Type One Quarter and Half, Types One and Two Dollars) struck without an S mint mark, where the lack of a mint mark may indeed mean a Philadelphia strike!

    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.
  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 36,752 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @JBK said:

    @cinque1543 said:
    Interesting. So I guess "no mintmark" means, at best, that a coin likely was minted in Philadelphia. Thanks.

    I think that statement gives the wrong impression.

    With a few exceptions, such as those mentioned above, lack of a mintmark is a definite indicator that a coin was minted in Philadelphia - not "likely minted", but definitely minted. The exceptions are known and only in those specifics cases is there an alternate scenario.

    While I think this is mostly correct, it does understate the number of exceptions. For example, West Point minted circulation cents for 10+ years that have no mintmark. They also minted quarters for a couple of years in the 1970s, I believe. I'm not sure what other service work they might have done on circulating coins.

  • StuartStuart Posts: 9,829 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 19, 2025 6:11AM

    There also were the 1942-1945 35% Silver Jefferson “War Nickels” minted during WWII, that display a large Mint Mark (P, D or S) on the reverse over Monticello.

    These are significant the only US coins (that I’m aware of) displaying a “P” mint mark.

    They were composed of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese. Nickel was prioritized a Strategic Metal for the war effort, thus eliminated from US Nickel 5 Cent Piece during those years.


    (Image Courtesy of PCGS Coin Facts)


    Stuart

    Collect 18th & 19th Century US Type Coins, Silver Dollars, $20 Gold Double Eagles and World Crowns & Talers with High Eye Appeal

    "Luck is what happens when Preparation meets Opportunity"
  • CopperindianCopperindian Posts: 2,482 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The 2017-P Lincoln cents did display the “P” mint mark.

    “The thrill of the hunt never gets old”

    PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
    Copperindian

    Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
    Copperindian
    Nickelodeon

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 36,752 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Stuart said:
    There also were the 1942-1945 35% Silver Jefferson “War Nickels” minted during WWII, that display a large Mint Mark (P, D or S) on the reverse over Monticello.

    These are significant the only US coins (that I’m aware of) displaying a “P” mint mark.

    They were composed of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese. Nickel was prioritized a Strategic Metal for the war effort, thus eliminated from US Nickel 5 Cent Piece during those years.


    (Image Courtesy of PCGS Coin Facts)

    @Copperindian said:
    The 2017-P Lincoln cents did display the “P” mint mark.

    All modern circulating coins except cents have "P" mint marks.

  • oldabeintxoldabeintx Posts: 2,466 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Some good trivia. Thanks.

  • ELVIS1ELVIS1 Posts: 234 ✭✭✭

    @jmlanzaf said:
    They've done a lot of eagles at West Point with no mint mark

    The millennium set with the PL Sacs had eagles that were supposed to have been minted in west point with no mint mark.

  • JBKJBK Posts: 16,450 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I believe some modern commems had a P mintmark.

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file