by the Office of Corporate Communications
August 26, 2015
Each department of the United States Mint supports the overall mission to serve the American people by manufacturing and distributing circulating, precious metal and collectible coins and national medals, and securing assets entrusted to the Mint.
The U.S. Mint at Denver manufactures circulating and numismatic coins, and moving production materials and coins to where they need to be is the responsibility of 12 materials handlers there.
Their main duty is to supply material to all the operators throughout the Mint. The materials handlers intake the metal coils, blanks, and more, and then move finished products from the vault and ship them out to their destinations.
One of those materials handlers is David Chavez, who has worked at the Denver Mint since November 2013, after serving eight years as a helicopter mechanic in the Marine Corps.
“I worked my way up from a mechanic to a quality assurance representative. I was a supervisor there, coordinating all the maintenance coming out of that shop. I think that’s why I enjoy the camaraderie of the guys and the teamwork here.”
Chavez said that’s what he likes most about his job.
“We laugh and we joke, but we also work hard and get our jobs done. It makes the day go by quickly.”
He said the most interesting part of his job at the Mint so far has been working on the alternative metals study.
“Everything was different and had to be done a certain way; everything had to be kept apart.”
Chavez also expressed appreciation for an opportunity to serve at the Mint in a larger capacity.
“I was able to do a four-month supervisor detail, which was educational for me. It taught me a lot about the South Dock and the day-to-day operations. I took it as a high compliment and really enjoyed it. I hope that continues, and I hope that what I had to offer was what the Mint was looking for.”
In his off-duty time, Chavez said buying and selling real estate is one of his hobbies.
“My wife and I have done well in that. When I’m not at work, I’m on the computer looking for a project. We’ve been successful at buying the house and then we sometimes live in it, fix it up and decorate it. Then we sell it and we profit. We’re now on our fourth project.”
Materials handlers at the Denver Mint get the stuff that coins are made of to the right places at the right times – a key piece of the production process.
Read more about our Denver facility.
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