Mint

Establishment for making coins. In England coins were made for the crown by moneyers in London, with subordinate mints elsewhere. Barons, bishops, and the larger monasteries also had mints. The die was impre ed upon the blank by a hammer; the screw pre was invented 1553, and the lever pre was introduced in England 1882. A new mint was built near the Tower 1810. In 1851 the moneyers were abolished and the mint placed in charge of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mints were also established at Sydney 1853, and Melbourne 1869. U. S. mints were opened at Philadelphia 1793, New Orleans 1835, San Francisco 1854, and Carson City 1870. the latter now suspended. The alloys of metals are rolled to strips, annealed, and drawn to uniform thickne ; from these, blanks of the proper size are forced by the cutting pre and filed to the right weight; these are then milled on the edges, annealed, cleansed from oxides by sulphuric acid, and stamped with the inscriptions in the lever coining pre . The gold coins of the U. S. weigh 25.8 grains to the dollar, and the silver dollar 412.5 grains, both fine; the half-dollar weighs 192.9 grains, and the smaller coins proportionally. See A AY, COINAGE, ASSA and NUMISMATICS.