Title: Liberty
Quick little "add-on" coin lesson for today. Yesterday I talked about mints and what they do, but as a small addition to that information, is a subject that makes coin folks get a little twitchy - mint marks.
Mint marks are little letters that each specific mint stamps on the coins they make so that way you know which mint it came from. For example, if you look at a nickel, that nickel could have been made in one of three places, Denver, Philadelphia, or San Francisco. They each make the coins to look exactly the same, with just that one little letter as a difference. In the photo is a 2010 nickel with an "S" under the date. That "S" means it was made in San Francisco. The other mints are:
S - San Francisco
D - Denver
P - Philadelphia (or blank, as in the case with the cent)
W - West Point (Gold, Silver and Platinum only)
Some older mint marks from US mints that have closed down (which means, if you find a coin with one of these marks, its probably worth more than it's face value)
O - New Orleans
CC - Carson City
D - Dahlonega (before it became Denver - Gold and Silver coins only)
C - Charlotte
Just as an extra "note" to my note, is that all countries use this same method - multiple mints making the same coin design, just adding a letter to show where it came from. So, they next time you are visiting another country, look at your pocket change and see if you can find that little letter.
Enjoy
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