No Mint Mark on Lincoln Pennies
The location of the mint score will vary depending upon the character of coin. It has been a tradition in the United States that coins minted at the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania facility do not carry a mint mark since this is the independent production adeptness for the mint. however, there are some exceptions and changes to the tradition where the Philadelphia mint adeptness began using a “ P ” as a mint mark on coins .
Reading: No Mint Mark on Lincoln Pennies
Why Does the Mint Use Mint Marks ?
When the United States Congress first authorized the production of coins in 1792, there was only one facility that produced coins located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The law besides dictated that a jury of inspectors ( The Assay Committee ) would inspect a sampling of coins from each mint facility once a year. They would check to make certain the coins were composed of the proper proportion of metals, the weight was within acceptable tolerances, and the diameter and thickness of the coin were correct .
In 1838, the United States Mint began opening ramify facilities to help produce coins for a growing nation. If the assay committee detected a problem with one of the coins, knowing which mint adeptness produced the coin would be necessary. The try committee would then launch an investigation into why the coins produced at that facility were not of the proper metallic content or weight .
The Philadelphia Mint Begins Using a “ P ” Mint Mark
In 1943 a boastfully “ P ” was added to the reverse of the Jefferson nickel to indicate that the metal writing of this coin was different ( 35 % silver, 56 % copper, and 9 % magnesium ) than previously minted nickels ( 25 % nickel and 75 % copper ). This change in metallic contentedness continued on Jefferson nickels through 1945 .
In 1979 the U.S. Mint broke tradition by placing a small “ P ” on the obverse of the Susan B. Anthony dollars minted in Philadelphia. In 1980 a “ P ” was added to all remaining United States coins minted in Philadelphia except for the Lincoln penny. This custom of not placing a mint check on Lincoln cents continued through 2016 .
The mint added a mint score ( “ P ” ) to the 2017 Lincoln cents manufactured in Philadelphia to celebrate the 225th anniversary of the establish of the United States Mint. The mint did not publicly announce that this change would be made to celebrate The 225th anniversary of the United States mint. rather, they let these coins quietly slip out into circulation and let coin collectors discover them on their own. The tradition of not having a mint mark on Lincoln pennies made at Philadelphia resumed with the output of 2018 dated Lincoln cents .
The exception to the rule
In 1986, The United States Mint began producing gold and flatware bullion coins. These coins were specifically targeted towards the investment market for cherished metals. The mint uses a distribution channel of wholesale dealers that buy the bullion coins in bulk quantities .
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Since demand is unmanageable to predict and production processes are unmanageable to schedule, the four active United States mint facilities, Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, and West Point will produce bullion coins for investors. however, the bullion-quality coins do not have a mint score on them regardless of where they are produced. consequently, it is impossible to tell which mint facility produced an individual gold or silver bullion mint .
however, a numismatist in 2017 filed a exemption of Information Act claim for the mint to release the tilt of series numbers that are associated with particular batch locations. therefore, the producing mint adeptness can be identified on an un-open lawsuit of bullion coins by the serial phone number markings on the outside .
As with any product from the United States Mint, collectors will want to add one to their collection. consequently, to appeal to the coin collecting market, the mint produces several different examples of each bullion mint. These may include limited burnished uncirculated strikes, proof, revoke validation, and enhanced uncirculated finishes. These coins will always carry the batch stigmatize of the producing facility .
mint Marks Used on United States Coins
The following table illustrates the mint marks used by the respective mint locations in the United States :
| Name | Mint Mark | City, State | Dates of Operation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | None or P | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 1793 – Present | |
| Denver | D | Denver, Colorado | 1906 – Present | |
| San Francisco | S | San Francisco, California | 1854 – Present | |
| West Point | W | West Point, New York | 1984 – Present | |
| Charlotte | C | Charlotte, North Carolina | 1838 – 1861 | Minted gold coins only |
| Carson City | CC | Carson City, Nevada | 1870 – 1893 | |
| Dahlonega | D | Dahlonega, Georgia | 1838 – 1861 | Minted gold coins only |
| New Orleans | O | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1838 – 1909 |