Mint Marks
Mint Marks on Coins: What the Letters Mean
P, D, S, W, and the historic letters. What they mean and where to look.
Reviewed July 2026
Mint marks are letters that identify where a coin was made. They exist for a practical reason rather than a decorative one: in the era when the United States struck circulating coins from gold and silver, a commission evaluated the composition and quality of coins coming out of each facility, and the mark held that facility responsible for its work. A coin that was underweight or off-alloy could be traced home.
Why Philadelphia went unmarked for a century
Philadelphia was the only mint in the earliest years, so identifying the source of a coin served no purpose. When the Mint opened branches at Charlotte, Dahlonega and New Orleans in 1838, mint marks appeared on US coins for the first time. But the habit of leaving Philadelphia coins unmarked continued anyway.
The exception arrived in 1942, and it was about metal, not pride. When nickel was pulled out of the five-cent coin for the war effort, a P appeared on Philadelphia's coins to flag the new composition, and the mark moved from the right of Monticello to above the dome. After the war the old alloy returned, the marks went back where they had been, and the Mint stopped using the P.
The P returned for good with the Susan B. Anthony dollar in 1979. The following year it appeared on every denomination except the cent, and that is still the rule today.
Modern and historic mint marks
| Mark | Facility | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| P | Philadelphia | 1942-present | On most denominations from 1980; never on the cent in ordinary years |
| D | Denver | 1906-present | Also used by Dahlonega, Georgia, 1838-1861 |
| S | San Francisco | 1854-present | Circulating coins to 1955; proof coins from 1968 |
| W | West Point | 1984-present | First on a circulating coin in 2019 |
| CC | Carson City | 1870-1893 | Struck the silver of the Comstock Lode |
| O | New Orleans | 1838-1861, 1879-1909 | Reopened after the Civil War |
| C | Charlotte | 1838-1861 | Gold only; closed during the Civil War |
Two of these letters do double duty, which trips people up. The D belonged to Dahlonega, Georgia from 1838 to 1861, long before Denver opened in 1906. And an O is New Orleans, which struck coins until the Civil War, reopened in 1879, and ran until 1909.
Carson City
The CC mark carries more romance than the rest combined. The Carson City Mint was established in Nevada to coin the silver pouring out of the Comstock Lode, the largest silver strike in the nation's history. It struck gold and silver from 1870 and stopped for good in 1893. That short life is why Carson City coins, and Carson City Morgan dollars above all, are collected so avidly.
Where to look
Position moved. Mint marks sat on the reverse of coins until 1968, when they returned after a three-year absence and were placed on the obverse instead. So on a modern Lincoln cent the mark is under the date on the front; on a Buffalo nickel it is centered beneath "FIVE CENTS" on the back. If you cannot find a mark, look on the other side before you conclude there is none.
Two modern oddities worth knowing
In 2017 a P appeared on circulating cents for the first and only time, to mark the Mint's 225th anniversary. In 2019 a W appeared on a circulating coin for the first time, when West Point struck ten million America the Beautiful quarters and released them into change.
And San Francisco, confusingly, struck circulating cents in the 1970s and 1980s with no mint mark at all, deliberately, so that they could not be distinguished from Philadelphia's. A missing mark is not always Philadelphia. It is only usually Philadelphia. That whole question has its own guide: coins with no mint mark.
Source: United States Mint, Mint Marks.
Frequently asked questions
What is a mint mark on a coin?
A mint mark is a letter identifying the facility where the coin was struck. Historically the marks held each facility responsible for the quality of its coins: when the US used gold and silver in circulating coinage, a commission evaluated composition and quality from each mint.
What do P, D, S and W mean?
American coinage today primarily uses four mint marks: P for Philadelphia, D for Denver, S for San Francisco, and W for West Point. Most circulating coins carry a P, a D, or no mark at all, and no mark signifies Philadelphia.
Where is the mint mark located?
It depends on the coin and the era. Mint marks were placed on the reverse until 1968, when they moved to the obverse. On a Lincoln cent the mark sits under the date; on a Buffalo nickel it sits centered under FIVE CENTS on the reverse.
Why do some old coins have a D that is not Denver?
Because the D mint mark predates Denver. The Dahlonega Mint in Georgia used a D from 1838 until it closed during the Civil War in 1861. Denver did not begin until 1906. A D on an 1850s gold coin means Dahlonega.
More on mint marks
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