The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 36, September 10, 2007, Article 16

PHILADELPHIA: THE HALL, THE MALL AND THE MINT

Dick Johnson writes: "It was a magic headline - a really grabber.
It caught me and made me read the article. I wish I had written
that headline.

What is such a captivating headline?  "The Hall, The Mall and The
Mint." It was published in the Courier-Post, Cherry Hill, NJ.  If
you plan to visit Philadelphia read the article first."

[The article describes a number of Philadelphia landmarks,
including Independence Hall, Independence Mall and the Philadelphia
Mint.  Below is an excerpt about the Mint.  -Editor]

"Closed to tours after the 2001 terrorist attacks, the U.S. Mint
reopened in 2005 to public same-day, self-guided tours.

"The first was built in 1792 across the street on Independence
Mall, shortly after authorization by Congress. The current building
opened in 1969 and is the fourth in Philadelphia to house the mint.

"Tours start in the mint's lobby, decorated with Tiffany mosaics
that came from the third mint building and show the coinage process
from about 100 AD. There's also a stuffed and mounted 'Peter the
Eagle,' who more than a century ago lived in a nest outside the
mint. The five staff sculptors-engravers often visit Peter to look
at the bird's details for their engraving.

"Then it's upstairs to view the coin-making process, which starts
with one of the sculptors-engravers making the design.

"From a large epoxy model, the dies, which are used on the coin
presses, are cut into steel.

"Sheets of metal for nickels, dimes and quarters are cut by huge
machines on one side of the building and moved by conveyor to the
other side, where the coins are stamped under 60 tons of pressure.
Penny blanks come in from the outside and are stamped.

"While visitors can't see the coins actually being pressed, they
can watch workers inspect the shiny new coins and lust after bins
of money getting pushed around by forklifts.

"The Philadelphia mint, which runs for three shifts five days a
week and employs more than 500 people, also makes Congressional
and Presidential medals. Until the late 1800s, it made Indian
Peace Medals.

"After viewing the coins, it's down to the museum section, which
includes the hand-operated coin press used to strike the first
coins in 1792. There are also relics from the first mint."

To read the complete article, see:
Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

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