A TOUR OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MINT IN 1856

Interested readers wishing to see the original article with numerous illustrations, may wish to go to the Newman Portal at https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/517301?page=158 .

On the north side of Commercial Street, between Montgomery and Kearny, there stands a dark, heavy looking building, with heavy iron bars, and heavy iron shutters, to windows and doors; and high above, standing on, and just peering over a heavy cornice, there is a large American eagle; looking down into the building, as if he meant to see, and take notes, of all that is going on within, “and print ‘em too”. At his back there is a small forest of chimney stacks, from which various kind of smoke, and different colored fumes, are issuing. The building is the Branch Mint of San Francisco.

On the pavement, in front, stands a number of odd looking, square boxes, containing bottles with glass necks rising above the top, and which are the various kinds of acid used in the manufacture of gold and silver coin within.

In the street can be seen drays and wagons with men unloading supplies of various kinds for the Mint; express wagons with packages of the precious metal from all parts of the mines; men going up with carpet sacks hanging heavily on their hand, all desirous of having their gold dust converted into coin.

To learn more about the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, see:
www.lsccweb.org

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