1782
- February 21
- US congress resolves the establishment of a US mint. [6]
1783
- April 23
- Superintendent of Finance Robert Morris submits examples of pattern 1783 Nova Constellatio coins to Congress. [4.60] [24.42]
1784
- May 1
- Superintendent of Finance Robert Morris sends Thomas Jefferson examples of 1783 Nova Constellatio coin patterns. [25.60]
- May 11
- US Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson presents five silver 1783 Nova Constellatio patterns to Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson. [30.32]
1785
- May 13
- The Continental Congress committee reports on plans for a coinage. [28.88]
- July 6
- The dollar (and decimal coinage) is unanimously chosen by the Continental Congress as the monetary unit for the United States. The US is the first nation to adopt decimal system of currency. [6] [8] [39.56] [66.46]
- August 22
- William Barton submits his outline for the establishment of a Mint to the Continental Congress. [47.60]
- October 20
- The Connecticut General Court authorizes coining up to 10,000 pounds of copper coins with an emblem of Liberty. [60.60]
1786
- August 8
- The American Continental Congress defines a silver dollar containing 375.64 grains of silver as the nation's unit of account. [1.188] [44.67]
- October 17
- The Commonwealth of Massachusetts authorizes a mint for striking gold, silver, and copper coinage. [66.70]
1787
- April 21
- Congress authorizes James Jarvis to coin 300 tons of Fugio cents. [99.36]
- June 1
- Authority is granted for a New Jersey coinage. [81.12]
1788
- May 21
- James Jarvis & Co. delivers 400,000 Fugio cents to the national government. [29.60] [34.84] [104.36]
- September 16
- US Congress voids the contract with Fugio cent coiner James Jarvis. [53.80]
1791
- March 3
- US Congress establishes US Mint. [6]
1792
- January 12
- US Senate passes bill authorizing establishment of a federal mint. [7.68] [83.32]
- April 2
- US President George Washington signs the Coinage Act, establishing the US Mint, and authorizes $10 Eagle, $5 half-Eagle and $2.50 quarter-Eagle gold coins and dollar, half dollar, quarter dollar, dime and half-dime silver coins; half cent is to be struck on pure copper 5.5 pennyweight or 132 grains or 8.55345 grams. Gold and silver coins are legal tender, but copper coins are not. [5.52] [6] [7.69] [8] [69.22] [86.160] [96.38]
- April 14
- US Senate confirms David Rittenhouse as first US Mint director. [22.56]
- May 8
- US Congress approves copper purchase for coinage, and outlaws private copper coinage. [26.44]
- July 9
- President George Washington authorizes striking of the half disme. [36.73]
- July 11
- Thomas Jefferson takes $75 worth of silver from George Washington to the Philadelphia Mint to be coined. [40.44]
- July 18
- The US buys the site for the Philadelphia Mint for $5466.66. [41.58]
- July 31
- David Rittenhouse lays foundation stone for Philadelphia Mint. [43.68] [75.64]
- December 17
- US Mint Chief Coiner Henry Voigt strikes first 1792 Silver Center cent patterns. [77.42]
1793
- January 1
- Representative Elias Boudinot recommends portrait of Christopher Columbus be placed on first US coinage. [80.79]
- January 14
- US Mint Act changes weight of half cent to 104 grains (6.74 grams) and cent to 208 grains. [69.22]
- February 9
- US Mint Act signed into law, limiting legal tender status of foreign coins to Spanish dollars and fractions three years after commencement of gold and silver coinage at the US mint. [39.56] [86.160]
- April 4
- The Philadelphia Mint begins striking 1793 Flowing Hair, Wreath cents. [96.38]
- April 10
- US Mint Chief Coiner Henry Voigt delivers 6000 cents to Mint Treasurer. [1.B20] [21.22]
- July 1
- The US Mint Act of 1793 goes into effect. [39.56]
- July 20
- The Philadelphia Mint begins production of 1793 Liberty Cap half cents. [69.24]
- July 26
- Philadelphia Mint Chief Coiner Henry Voigt delivers 24,934 half cents. [42.62]
- September 18
- The Philadelphia Mint delivers the first batch of 1793 Liberty Cap cents. [69.22]
- November 23
- Robert Scot is appointed engraver at the US Mint. [70.64]
1794
- April 4
- Albion Cox is appointed as US Mint assayer. [5.52]
- July 18
- The Bank of Maryland makes the first deposit of silver bullion at the US Mint, $80,715.735 in French coins. [67.38]
- August 23
- The Bank of North America deposits more than $20,000 in silver at the Philadelphia Mint for coinage. [102.34]
- October 15
- The US Mint strikes 1,758 silver dollars, the only day of production for dollar coins for the year. (An estimated 140 survive to today.) [50.4]
- Chief Coiner Henry Voigt delivers the first minted dollars and half dollars. [58.68]
1795
- March 31
- The US Mint begins producing half dime coins with Robert Scot's Flowing Hair Liberty design. [5.52]
- April 5
- The Philadelphia Mint acquires a half ton of Talbot, Allum & Lee tokens from William Talbot, for reuse as half cent coins. [1.B20]
- June 30
- Mint Director David Rittenhouse resigns due to ill health. [39.56]
- September
- The Philadelphia Mint begins striking $10 gold eagle coins. [47.15]
- September 22
- The Philadelphia Mint delivers the first 1097 gold eagle coins. [47.15] (September 17 [53.80])
- October 27
- William De Saussure resigns as Director of the US Mint. [43.68]
- October 28
- Elias Boudinot becomes director of the US Mint. [43.126]
1796
- April 9
- The Philadelphia Mint begins striking 1796 Draped Bust quarter dollars. [97.32]
1797
- July 22
- George Washington issues a proclamation indefinitely extending the legal tender status of Spanish milled dollar. [42.62]
- October 15
- Foreign silver coins except Spanish milled dollars cease to be legal tender. [58.68]
1798
- July 23
- First Heraldic Eagle silver dismes are delivered. [42.62]
- July 31
- President John Adams issues proclamation extending circulation of foreign coins, due to coin shortage. [43.68]
1800
- March 14
- A Senate committee recommends abolishing the US Mint. [43.126]
- May 5
- The US Senate passes a bill seeking to abolish the Mint and contract for coinage with the Bank of the United States. [43.128]
1801
- August 17
- Treasurer of the Mint delivers 1000 cents to the Bank of the United States. [46.68]
- August 26
- Ship New Jersey leaves England with 25 tons of cent planchets from Matthew Boulton for US Mint. [102.34]
1802
- January 29
- Representative William Giles of Virgina introduces a bill calling for the abolishment of the Mint. [43.130]
- March 3
- The US Senate passes a bill to continue the Mint, and allow it to remain in Philadelphia. [43.130]
- April 2
- Representative William Giles of Virgina re-submits his bill calling for the abolishment of the Mint. [43.130]
- April 26
- The House of Representatives passes the bill to abolish the Mint. [43.130]
- May 3
- All foreign gold and silver coins cease to be legal tender in the USA for three years. [25.60] [100.48]
- December 17
- Representative John Randolph of Virginia introduces a bill to abolish the Mint. [43.130]
1803
- March 1
- The House of Representatives passes a bill to continue the Mint, as previously passed by the Senate. [43.130]
- March 3
- The President signs into law the bill extending the existence of the US Mint. [43.130]
1805
- May 3
- Spanish milled dollar coins resume legal tender status in the USA. [25.60]
1806
- April 10
- In the USA, an Act fixes the legal tender value of gold coins of Great Britain, Portugal, France, Spain, and silver coins of Spain and France. [1.B20]
1808
- February 26
- The US Mint strikes 2710 copies of the Capped Draped Bust gold $2.50 quarter eagle. [36.24]
1816
- January 11
- A disasterous fire closes down the Philadelphia Mint. [82.32]
- April 10
- Congress passes the Act Regulating the Currency of Foreign Coins in the United States. [21.22] [97.32]
- June 24
- The Philadelphia Mint begins using steam power for the strip rolling mills. [39.94]
1824
- January 28
- William Kneass is appointed chief engraver of the US Mint. [52.20]
1827
- July 25
- The US Mint begins striking Gobrecht Seated Liberty half dimes. [74.40]
1828
- May 19
- Congress authorizes the Mint to continue operation until otherwise provided by law. [43.130]
1829
- July 4
- The cornerstone is laid by US President Andrew Jackson for the Mint building at the corner of Chestnut and Juniper Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mint Director Samuel Moore lays the second Mint cornerstone. [6] [25.20] [39.56]
1834
- June 28
- Congress reduces weight and fineness of standard gold coins, and changes the silver to gold ratio to 16 to 1. [38.60]
1835
- March 3
- Congress establishes Branch Mints at Charlotte, North Carolina; Dahlonega, Georgia; and New Orleans, Louisiana. [6] [92.62]
- June 19
- The US government purchases the Jackson Square site for the future New Orleans Mint in Louisiana. [6] [36.56]
- July 1
- Robert Maskell Patterson becomes Mint director. [61.58]
- August 3
- The US government purchases the site for the Dahlonega Mint, for US$1050. [43.68]
- October 1
- A set of 11 current US coins (including an 1804 Draped Bust dollar) is given to the Sultan of Muscat by US officials. [60.88]
- November 2
- The US government purchases the site for the Charlotte Mint for US$1500. [65.52]
1836
- March 23
- The Philadelphia Mint begins striking coins with a steam press. [95.34]
- April 5
- A set of 11 current US coins (including an 1804 Draped Bust dollar) is given to the King of Siam by US officials. [60.88]
- August 25
- Mint Director Robert M. Patterson forwards a tin impression of a proposed Gobrecht dollar to Treasury Secretary Levi Woodbury. [48.60]
- November 8
- The Philadelphia Mint begins striking coins for circulation using steam-powered presses; first coin is the 1836 Capped Bust, Reeded Edge half dollar. [39.94]
- December 31
- The US Mint begins striking Seated Liberty dollars for circulation. [80.79]
1837
- January 18
- Mint Act changes weight of half disme from 1.35 to 1.34 grams, and alloy from 89.25 to 90 percent silver, and from 10.75 to 10 percent copper. [36.15] [43.128] [83.32]
- March 31
- US Mint Chief Coiner Eckfeldt delivers 600 Gobrecht dollars dated 1836 struck in medal alignment. [5.52]
- April 22
- Philadelphia Mint ships equipment to Dahlonega Mint. [99.36]
- June 30
- The Philadelphia Mint begins striking Seated Liberty dimes. [39.56]
- July 27
- US Branch Mint opens in Charlotte, North Carolina. [6] [75.64]
1838
- February 12
- The Dahlonega Mint opens for operations. [57.22]
- March 8
- US mint in New Orleans begins operation (producing dimes). [6]
- March 27
- The Charlotte Mint begins striking 1838 Classic Head half eagles, first US coins with a mint mark ("C"). [57.22] (March 28 [95.34])
- March 31
- The US Mint releases 1838 Seated Liberty, With Stars dimes to circulation. [96.38]
- April 9
- Dies for dimes are shipped from the Philadelphia Mint to the New Orleans Mint. [21.22]
- April 10
- Gold bullion is first deposited at the New Orleans Mint. [97.32]
- April 21
- The Dahlonega Branch Mint begins striking its first coins, 1838 Classic Head half eagles, first US coins with a "D" mint mark. [57.22]
- May 7
- The New Orleans Branch Mint begins operations, striking 1838 Seated Liberty dimes, first US coins with a "O" mint mark. [57.22] [101.32]
- September 29
- The US Mint begins production of Seated Liberty quarter dollars. [56.34]
1843
- May 9
- Matthew Stickney receives a Proof 1804 Draped Bust dollar coin in trade with Philadelphia Mint. [26.44] [27.22]
1844
- July 27
- A fire at the Charlotte Mint halts production of coins. [6] [42.62]
1849
- March 3
- US Gold Coinage Act authorizes $1 and $20 double eagle gold coins. [6] [22.140] [46.18]
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