1969 Medal Philadelphia Mint Bronze 1 1/2"

Coin Details

Description

This 1969 bronze medal depicts the Philadelphia Mint, the oldest and most historically significant of all U.S. Mint facilities. Founded in 1792 as the first federal building authorized by the United States government, the Philadelphia Mint has operated continuously through multiple buildings, each reflecting the growing capacity and ambitions of the nation's coinage operations. The 38mm (1 1/2 inch) format provides a substantial canvas for the architectural portrait of the facility. The obverse features an architectural rendering of the Philadelphia Mint building, depicting the fourth and then-current facility at 151 North Independence Mall East, which opened in 1969 — making this medal potentially a commemorative of the new building's inauguration. The Philadelphia Mint has always been the flagship facility of the U.S. coinage system, producing the largest volume of circulating coins and serving as the administrative headquarters of the Mint Bureau. Its successive buildings have tracked the evolution of American industrial architecture from the modest first mint on Seventh Street to the modern facility of the late twentieth century. The reverse carries identifying inscriptions consistent with the U.S. Mint's facility medal program. The bronze composition and 1 1/2 inch diameter indicate this was produced as a collectible souvenir medal, available for purchase at the Mint's gift shop or through mail order. The 1969 date coincides with the opening of the new Philadelphia Mint facility, making this medal a document of that significant transition in the Mint's operational history.

Rarity Notes

Bronze facility medal, 1 1/2 inch (38mm) format. Produced as a collectible souvenir by the U.S. Mint. The 1969 date coincides with the opening of the fourth Philadelphia Mint building.

Cross References

PCGS #413116; Philadelphia Mint facility medal; 1969 new Philadelphia Mint opening