It seems as of late we have been mentioning a particular mintmark more than others. This mintmark has shown up on 2019 circulating quarters, special edition pennies, and of course on the most recent of United States Mint’s releases, the Uncirculated American Silver Eagle. We can only assume you have already figured it out based on that particular information but in case you have not, ‘W’ mintmarks are making a splash in the numismatic hobby. But honestly, West Point Mint has been the whole time.
Today’s coin climate has brought extra attention to this branch of the United States Mint based on recent releases, but if we are being honest, West Point has never not had a huge role in coin production in the last 50 plus years.
West Point Beginnings
Due to gold and silver pouring in from out West, the Mint found the demands of an increased production bearing down on them. They needed somewhere to store the precious metals and those locations were to be secure enough to store the entire country’s bullion reserve. As a way to combat the growing demands, the Fort Knox Bullion Depository opened in Kentucky in 1936.
Soon to follow in 1937, the West Point Bullion Depository was constructed in West Point, New York, near the United States Military Academy. It officially opened for silver bullion storage in 1938 and remained just that until 1973. As other US Mint branches were feeling the pressure to keep up with production demands, the West Point facility was tasked at producing pennies while also taking some of the pressure off later on down the road in 1976 with the production of the Bicentennial quarters. 1980 also saw the production of gold medals at the facility until finally in 1988, the West Point facility was officially named a branch of the United States Mint.
The West Point Mint (1938-Present)
Although officially a Mint in 1988, West Point was solely responsible for American Gold Eagles when they were first struck in 1986 but they did not and still do not bear the ‘W’ mintmark. They assumed the task of producing American Silver Eagles in 1999. In 2002, a special commemorative silver dollar was released by the US Mint to honor the 200th Anniversary of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. These special coins were only minted at West Point.
Special Coinage
Much like today’s buzz over clear and present ‘W’ mintmarks on coins, there have been special coins struck with that same appeal over the years. Most popular? The 1996 W Roosevelt dime produced for its 50th Anniversary, the March of Dimes special three-coin set, the 2014 W Reverse Proof Kennedy half dollar that was part of a four-coin commemorative set, and the 24 karat gold Kennedy Half Dollar produced in 2014 for the 50th Anniversary of the design.
The West Point Mint has also been responsible for the first platinum bullion coins in 1997, the first bi-metallic coin in 2000, the first palladium bullion coins in 2017, and as of late, the first ever proof, reverse proof, and uncirculated ‘W’ Lincoln cents to come from the annual release of the 2019 Clad Proof, Silver Proof, and Uncirculated Sets in Original Government Packaging.
Present Production
Today, the bulk of American Silver Eagle proofs are made at West Point although they are also made at San Francisco as well. Meanwhile, uncirculated bullion coins are produced at West Point and always have been. All gold, platinum, and palladium proof and uncirculated bullion coins are also produced at the facility as well as special commemoratives. In 2006, the American Gold Buffalo series began and West Point was enlisted to produce all the bullion coins and still do produce them today.