VIDEO: YELLOW FEVER & THE U.S. MINT

Yellow Fever Threatens the U.S. Mint

The early U.S. Mint in Philadelphia suffered from yellow fever throughout the 1790s. The toll in Philadelphia was extraordinary, with the fever claiming 10% of its population in 1793 alone. Such numbers are in some way beyond our comprehension today, and, unless one has actually lived through it, the reality is hard to grasp.

Like all Philadelphia institutions, the Mint suffered accordingly. In this recently released video, Lianna Spurrier sets the historical context and explores the impacts of yellow fever on the U.S. Mint. Today, the Mint has similarly closed some facilities, although circulation coinage continues to be manufactured.

Image: U.S. Mint Chief Coiner daily accounts, National Archives & Records Administration record group 104, entry 196.

Link to Yellow Fever & the U.S. Mint on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/multimediadetail/529486?Year=2020&take=50

Link to U.S. Mint Chief Coiner daily accounts on Newman Portal:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/525968

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web