The Mint and BEP have a rich history. Soon after the Constitution’s ratification, Secretary Hamilton personally prepared plans for a national Mint. On April 2, 1792, an Act of Congress established the first United States Mint facility in Philadelphia (the first federal building erected under the Constitution) and established the U.S. legal tender system, ordering the creation of gold, silver and copper coinage ranging in value from $10 to half of a penny. This is also when the eagle design on United States coins was authorized.
Today, the United States Mint operates six facilities across the United States – each of which performs unique functions. Facilities include the Headquarters in Washington, DC; production facilities in Philadelphia, PA; West Point, NY; Denver, CO; and San Francisco, CA; and the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, KY.