Understanding Mint Marks on U.S. Coins

Understanding Mint Marks on U.S. Coins

Mint marks are small letters stamped on U.S. coins to identify which mint facility produced them. Understanding mint marks is fundamental to collecting, as the mint of origin often changes how many coins of a date were struck.

U.S. Mint Facilities and Their Marks

The United States has operated multiple mint facilities throughout its history. Here are the mint marks you'll encounter:

• P — Philadelphia (1793-present) — The first and primary U.S. Mint. Philadelphia coins generally carried no mint mark. A large "P" first appeared on the 1942-45 silver-alloy nickels; the "P" returned on the 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar and was added to the other denominations in 1980. Notable exception: the cent has never carried a "P" mint mark (except the 2017 Lincoln Cent celebrating the 225th anniversary of the Mint).
• D — Denver (1906-present) — The Denver Mint has operated continuously since 1906. Beware: "D" also stood for Dahlonega, Georgia for gold coins minted 1838-1861.
• S — San Francisco (1854-present) — Originally a branch mint for Western gold, now primarily produces proof coins and special issues.
• W — West Point (1984-present) — West Point began striking coins in 1974 without a mint mark; the "W" first appeared on the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic $10 gold commemorative. It now produces bullion, commemoratives and special strikes.
• O — New Orleans (1838-1909) — Operated intermittently; closed permanently in 1909. New Orleans coins are often collected as a specialty.
• CC — Carson City (1870-1893) — A short-lived branch mint in Nevada.

The Carson City "CC" mint mark — from the short-lived Nevada mint (1870-1893)

• C — Charlotte (1838-1861) — Gold coins only. Closed at the start of the Civil War.

Where to Find Mint Marks

The location of the mint mark varies by denomination and era:

Lincoln Cent mint mark location — look below the date on the obverse

• Lincoln Cents — Below the date (1909-present, obverse); on newer cents, below the date on the obverse
• Jefferson Nickels — On the reverse to the right of Monticello (1938-1964), above Monticello on wartime nickels (1942-45), none on coins dated 1965-67, on the obverse near the date (1968-present)

Wartime Jefferson Nickel (1942-45) — the mint mark moved to an unusual position above Monticello on the reverse, marking the 35% silver alloy composition

• Roosevelt Dimes — On the reverse at left base of torch (1946-1964), on the obverse above the date (1968-present)
• Washington Quarters — On the reverse below the eagle (1932-1964), on the obverse to the right of the ribbon (1968-present)
• Kennedy Half Dollars — On the reverse below the eagle's claw holding the olive branch (1964, Denver coins only), on the obverse below Kennedy's neck (1968-present)
• Morgan Dollars — On the reverse above the "DO" in DOLLAR

Morgan Dollar mint mark location — find it on the reverse, just above the "DO" in DOLLAR

Mint Mark Varieties

Until 1990-91 on circulating coins, mint marks were punched into working dies by hand, creating opportunities for varieties:

• RPM (Repunched Mint Mark) — The mint mark was punched more than once, with slight offset between impressions. Browse our RPM listings or read our RPM deep dive.
• OMM (Over Mint Mark) — A different mint mark was punched over the original. Example: a "D" punched over an "S". Browse our OMM listings.
• IMM (Inverted Mint Mark) — The mint mark punch was inserted upside down or rotated.
• MPM (Misplaced Mint Mark) — The mint mark appears in the wrong location on the die.

The Mint began putting the mint mark on the original model for commemorative and proof coins in the mid-1980s and on the master die for circulating coins in 1990 and 1991; after 1994 it was on the model for all U.S. coins. Hubbed rather than hand-punched mint marks ended RPM and over mint mark varieties on modern coins.

Why Mint Marks Matter for Value

The same coin can have very different mintages at each mint. Consider the 1916 Mercury Dime:

• 1916 (Philadelphia) — Mintage: 22,180,080
• 1916-D (Denver) — Mintage: 264,000
• 1916-S (San Francisco) — Mintage: 10,450,000

Knowing the mintage for each mint in your series of interest is key to smart collecting. Explore the NumisDex catalog to see how mint marks affect variety attribution across all denominations.