History Denver Mint

clark gruber & company gold coins on display @ history colorado center—a pair of $10 coins @ left, , $20 coins @ right, known eagles , double eagles, respectively.

the predecessors of denver mint men of clark, gruber , company. during pikes peak gold rush, coined gold dust brought gold fields miners. in 1858, austin m. clark, milton e. clark , emanuel henry gruber founded brokerage firm in leavenworth, kansas, , established office in denver @ beginning of colorado gold rush. desiring save on shipping , insurance costs associated shipping gold east, firm opened private mint. on 25 july 1860, mint opened in 2 story brick building on corner of market , 16th streets, minting $10 gold pieces @ rate of fifteen or twenty coins minute . on face representation of peak, base surrounded forest of timber , pikes peak gold encircling summit. under base word denver , , beneath ten d. . on reverse american eagle encircled name of firm clark, gruber & co. , , beneath date, 1860 .

a $20 gold coin added, weight greater, value same united states coin of denomination . $5 , $2.5 gold coin added, production reaching $18,000 per week. on front head of goddess of liberty surrounded thirteen stars, clark & company in tiara. pikes s peak gold, denver on other side, 5d. or 2 1/2 d.

in 3 years of operation, minted $594,305 worth of pike s peak gold in form of gold coins. additionally, purchased 77,000 troy ounces of raw gold, , shipped large amounts of dust philadelphia mint. building, assaying , minting equipment formally bought treasury in april 1863. clark, gruber & co. remained bank until bought first national bank of denver in 1865.

act of congress 1862

the denver mint in may 1972 photograph

established act of congress on april 21, 1862, united states mint @ denver opened business in late 1863 united states assay office. operations began in facilities of clark, gruber , company, located @ 16th , market streets , acquired government $25,000, able print off @ location.

unlike clark, gruber , company, though, denver plant performed no coinage of gold first intended. 1 reason given director of mint lack of coinage @ denver was, …the hostility of indian tribes along routes, doubtless instigated rebel emissaries (there being civil war) , bad white men.

gold , nuggets brought there miners surrounding area accepted assay office melting, assaying, , stamping of cast gold bars. bars returned depositors imparted bars stamped weight , fineness of gold. of gold came rich beds of placer gold found in streams , first discovered in 1858, same year denver founded.

when supply of gold exhausted streams, emphasis turned lode mining, uncovering veins of ore high percentage of gold , silver. 1859, yearly value of gold , silver deposited @ assay office on $5.6 million. during years assay office, denver plant city s substantial structure.

the united states treasury did not expand smelting , refining operations @ same rate discovery , production of gold. in 1872 group of businessmen led judge hiram bond (formerly 1 of largest brokers on new york gold exchange), joseph miner , denver mayor joseph e. bates set firm denver smelting , refining works built independent complementary plant processed ore ingots assayed, weighed , stamped denver mint.

there new hope branch mint status when congress provided establishment of mint @ denver gold , silver coin production. site new mint @ west colfax , delaware streets purchased on april 22, 1896, approximately $60,000. construction began in 1897.

appropriations complete , equip plant insufficient, , transfer of assay operations new building delayed until september 1, 1904. coinage operations began on february 1, 1906, advancing status of denver facility branch mint. in addition, before new machinery used @ mint installed use, first sent st. louis exposition of 1904 display. silver coins minted in denver first time in 1906. during first year, 167 million coins produced, including $20 gold (double eagle) coins, $10 gold (eagle) coins, $5 gold (half eagle) coins, , assorted denominations of silver coins.