Where Are Pennies Minted in the United States?

The United States Mint, a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, produces coinage for the nation’s trade and commerce. Established by Congress in 1792, the Mint provides standardized currency. This article explores the facilities where U.S. pennies are, and historically have been, produced.

Current Penny Minting Facilities

The primary facilities currently responsible for minting U.S. pennies for general circulation are the Philadelphia Mint and the Denver Mint. These two locations operate continuously to meet demand for one-cent coins. The Philadelphia Mint, in operation since 1792, is the largest minting facility and produces millions of coins daily, including pennies. The Denver Mint also contributes significantly to the daily output of circulating coinage.

While the San Francisco Mint and the West Point Mint are active U.S. Mint facilities, their roles in penny production differ. The San Francisco Mint primarily focuses on producing numismatic, or collector, coins, including special proof and uncirculated penny sets. The West Point Mint has had limited penny production, such as the special ‘W’ mint mark pennies released in 2019 for collectors.

Identifying a Penny’s Origin

Individuals can determine where a penny was minted by examining its mint mark, a small letter indicating the U.S. Mint facility of origin. This mark is typically found on the obverse, or front, of the coin, below the date. The most common mint marks are “D” for Denver, “P” for Philadelphia, and “S” for San Francisco.

Pennies produced at the Philadelphia Mint traditionally did not carry a mint mark, particularly for coins minted before 1980. This changed in 2017, when the Philadelphia Mint began adding a “P” mint mark to its pennies. Therefore, if a penny lacks a mint mark, it was most likely produced in Philadelphia, unless it is a more recent issue from 2017 or later with a “P”.

Historical Penny Minting Locations

The history of penny production in the United States began with the Philadelphia Mint, which was the nation’s first minting facility and initially the sole producer of U.S. coins. The Denver Mint began producing pennies in 1906, marked with a “D”. The San Francisco Mint also contributed to penny production, starting in 1854 and using an “S” mint mark.

The West Point Mint has had limited involvement in penny production, notably striking Lincoln cents without a mint mark from 1973 to 1986, and with a ‘W’ mint mark in 2019 for collectors. Historically, other U.S. Mint facilities existed, such as those in New Orleans and Carson City, but these locations did not produce pennies during their operational periods.