Washington — The United States Mint announced today that it will begin taking orders for the 2006 San Francisco Old Mint Commemorative Coins at 12:00 noon (ET) on August 15, 2006. Visitors to the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money® in Denver may also order these new coins at the United States Mint booth August 16–19. There will be order limits of 100 per household for each individual coin option, and a limit of 10 per household for the American Legacy Collection. Order limits will be evaluated after the first 30 days.
Public Law 109–230, the San Francisco Old Mint Commemorative Coin Act (Act), dated June 15, 2006, authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue gold and silver commemorative coins emblematic of the San Francisco Old Mint Building, its importance to California and the history of the United States, and its role in rebuilding San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake and fire. The $5 gold coin has a limited mintage of 100,000, and the $1 silver coin has a limit of 500,000 across all product options. Both coins will be produced at the United States Mint at San Francisco and will bear the “S” mint mark.
Surcharges from the sale of these coins are authorized to be paid to the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society for the purpose of rehabilitating the Historic Old Mint in San Francisco as a city museum and an American coin and gold rush museum.
The design of the $5 gold obverse is an image of the San Francisco Old Mint, modeled after the original 1869 construction drawing by Supervising Architect A.B. Mullett. The gold obverse inscriptions are: “Liberty,” “1906,” “San Francisco Earthquake and Fire Centennial,” “E Pluribus Unum” and “2006.” The design of the $5 gold reverse is a reproduction of the 1906 Half–Eagle Coronet Liberty eagle reverse, designed by Christian Gobrecht. The gold reverse inscriptions are: “United States of America,” “In God We Trust” and “Five D.”
The design of the silver dollar obverse is an image of the San Francisco Old Mint, based on the obverse design of the San Francisco Mint medal by Sherl J. Winter. The silver dollar obverse inscriptions are: “Liberty,” “1906 ~ 2006,” “E Pluribus Unum,” “Old Mint, ‘The Granite Lady'” and “Instrumental in San Francisco’s Recovery.” The design of the silver dollar reverse is a reproduction of the 1904 Morgan Silver Dollar eagle reverse designed by George T. Morgan. The silver reverse inscriptions are: “United States of America,” “In God We Trust,” and “One Dollar.”
During the period from August 15 to October 17, 2006, the San Francisco Old Mint Proof $5 Gold Coin will be available for $230 and the Uncirculated $5 Gold Coin for $220. Thereafter, the Proof $5 Gold Coin will be available for $255 and the Uncirculated $5 Gold Coin for $245.
During the same period from August 15 to October 17, 2006, the San Francisco Old Mint Proof Silver Dollar will be available for $35 and the Uncirculated Silver Dollar for $33. Thereafter, the Proof Silver Dollar will be available for $39 and the Uncirculated Silver Dollar for $35.
The 2006 United States Mint American Legacy Collection™, containing a proof “Founding Father” Benjamin Franklin Commemorative Silver Dollar and a proof San Francisco Old Mint Silver Dollar, as well as proof versions of all 2006–dated circulating coins, priced at $135, may be ordered beginning August 15.
We expect to begin shipping individual coin options for the San Francisco Old Mint Commemorative Coin Program in late November or early December. If customers are using a credit card to place an order, they should check their card’s expiration date, as charges will coincide with shipment.
Customers may order the San Francisco Old Mint Commemorative Coins and the 2006 United States Mint American Legacy Collection™, beginning August 15, 2006, at 12:00 noon (ET) by using the United States Mint’s secure website, www.usmint.gov, or by calling 1–800–USA–MINT (872–6468). Hearing– and speech–impaired customers may order by calling 1–888–321–MINT (6468). A shipping and handling fee of $4.95 per order will be added to all domestic orders.
Click here for images of the designs used for the San Francisco Old Mint Commemorative Coins.