Back in the old days, did the branch mints make/mark their own dies?

kevinstang · August 28, 2006 3:30AM

Just wondering if they did any die preparation, or was it done at the Philly mint and the dies shipped out to them, say even the mint mark application? Got me thinking after looking at the O/CC dollars, was it a Philly mint or New Orleans mint employee who did the shabby work of removing old CC and applying the O ?

291fifth · August 28, 2006 3:34AM

Dies were prepared in Philadelphia with the mint marks added. There are a few instances where mint marks were probably added at the branch mints. The 1854-O "Huge "O" quarter and the 1870-S $3 gold are two such examples.

ziggy29 · August 28, 2006 3:34AM

I believe that in the early days of branch mints, all the dies were usually made from master hubs in Philly (without date and mintmark) and sent to the branch mints. At the branch mint, the date and mintmark would be punched. Not sure if that's exactly right, though.

PerryHall · August 28, 2006 4:19AM

The completed dies were made at Philadelphia. The final basining / finishing and hardening were done at the branch mints. Sometimes the die shank had to be machined at the branch mint to fit their particular press.

Back in the old days, did the branch mints make/mark their own dies?

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