Basic U.S. Coin Facts Part 1

Introduction
There is approximately $8 billion worth of coins circulating in the U.S. today. In the past 30 years, the U.S. Mint, which is responsible for designing and producing the nation's coins, has minted over 300 billion coins, worth about $15 billion.

Since its creation in 1792, the U.S. Mint has grown into a large enterprise with more than $1 billion in annual revenues and 2,200 employees. It is by far the world's largest manufacturer of coins and medals, producing coins not only for the U.S. but on behalf of several other countries as well.

This article provides some basic information about U.S. coins, including how they are minted, past and current coin denominations, coin composition and coin design.

How Coins Are Made
In order to make coins, the U.S. Mint purchases strips of metal (rolled into coils) in the proper dimensions and thicknesses. Zinc metal strips (coated with a copper plating) are used to make pennies. Strips used for nickels are comprised of a 75% copper, 25% nickel metal alloy.

Dimes, quarters, half-dollars and dollar coins are produced of strips consisting of three metallic layers fused together. The outer layers of these strips are comprised of the same alloy as that used for nickels with the third (core) layer being comprised of copper.

The first step in the coin making process involves the feeding of the metal strips through what is known as a "blanking" press. This press punches out cut round discs (blanks) about the same size as the finished coin. These blanks are then heated in a furnace to soften them. Subsequently, the softened blanks are placed in rotating barrels of chemical solutions to clean and polish the metal. The cleaned and shiny blanks are then washed and dried.

Next, the blanks are sorted to remove any defective ones and the balance are put through an "upsetting" mill which raises a rim around their edges. The rimmed blanks then go to the coining or stamping press where upper and lower dies stamp the designs and inscriptions on both sides of the coin simultaneously. At this point, the blanks become genuine U.S. coins.

Finally, the finished coins are mechanically counted and placed into large canvas bags for shipment to the Federal Reserve Banks. From there they are shipped to local banks on an as-needed basis.

Coin Composition
When the U. S. Mint was established in 1792, the law required that all coins be made of gold, silver or copper. For a considerable period of time afterwards, gold was used in the $10, $5 and $2.50 pieces, silver was used to make the dollar, half-dollar, quarter, dime and half-dime while the penny and half-cent coins were made of copper.

In 1933, during the Great Depression, the U.S. Mint stopped making gold coins altogether. In 1965, as a result of a severe silver shortage, Congress dictated that silver no longer be used in making quarters and dimes. In addition, the silver content of the half-dollar (previously 90%) was reduced to 40% in 1965 and then eliminated entirely in 1971. As previously mentioned, all of these coin denominations are now composed of copper-nickel clad with an outer layer of a 75% copper, 25% nickel alloy and a pure copper core. Nickels are made of the same copper-nickel alloy but without the copper core.

The penny's composition was altered in 1982 from 95% copper 5% zinc, to the current 97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper mix. This was done as a cost cutting measure and to make the penny lighter in weight.