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Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings

	OLD UNITED STATES MINT California
Location: San Francisco County, Fifth and Mission Streets, San Francisco. San Francisco Museum & Historical Society

Ownership and Administration. U.S. Government; General Services Administration.

Significance. The Old Mint had an important relationship with the mining frontier. The Government established it in 1854 as a branch of the Philadelphia Mint to accommodate the enormous bullion production of the California Mother Lode. The added in flux of silver from the Comstock Lode of Nevada, which began to flow into the San Francisco branch office in 1860, soon overtaxed the facilities there. The Government then initiated plans to construct a new and larger mint. In 1867 it purchased land for the site, in 1869 began construction, and in November 1874 completed the building. Within a year the mint had become the principal one in the Nation. For example, out of a national total of $83,888,900 in gold and silver coined in 1877, it accounted for about $50 million. Thereafter coinage began to fall off because of declining gold and silver production, and averaged only about $22 million per year between 1884 and 1892. Minting operations continued at the Old Mint until 1937, when they were transferred to a new building in San Francisco.

The Old United States Mint, in San Francisco, was built in the classic tradition of the mid-19th century and is one of the finest examples of Federal architecture of the period in the West. During the boom mining days, it received a large part of the gold and silver produced in the West. The building is used today for U.S. Government offices.

Present Appearance. Designed by the noted architect Alfred B. Mullet, the Old Mint was constructed in the classic tradition of public buildings of that day at a cost of $2,358,636. The massive structure, two stories high above a raised basement, measures 220 by 160 feet and is built around an interior courtyard. The concrete foundation is 5 feet thick, and the exterior brick walls 3 feet thick. For this reason the building was one of the few in San Francisco to survive the earthquake and fire of 1906. In 1939 the Government remodeled it for use as an office building. This involved the installation of temporary partitions, modern lighting, and other improvements. In spite of these changes, the basic exterior and interior design remains unaltered, and the Old Mint is one of the finest examples of Federal architecture of the period in the West. [8]

NHL Designation: 07/04/61