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 Replies: 16 / Views: 2,664 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3283 Posts |
Very impressive self guided tour, for those who have not been there, I would highly recommend stopping in.
What really caught me off guard was the graveyard across the street. The great Ben Franklin resting next to his bride a foot from the sidewalk. My wife and I just reverently stood there in awe. Hard to describe it.
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
I've been daytripping to Philly for 15 years now - it's only 50 miles up the road - and believe it or not I've never set foot in the Mint.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3283 Posts |
That surprises me Dave, you of all people. (I mean that as a compliment)
Seems you would find it very interesting.
Have you seen the graveyard?
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
Have you seen the graveyard? Repeatedly. Franklin is one of my personal heroes. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11951 Posts |
Sounds like you really saw some interesting history  I was stationed in Northern Virginia for over ten years, and kick myself for not going to Phil. I too am a big fan of Franklin. I know it would mean a lot to me to see his grave, and other places he was around. Like Liberty Hall. And of course seeing the mint would be a big bonus  Edited by GR58
12/11/2013 6:48 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
Glad you had a good time. We're still the City That Loves You Back! Plenty of neat historical places in that neighborhood. I keep finding new ones, like just the other day, across Race St. from the Mint I found a marker dedicated to Francis Hopkinson, who picked up where Franklin left off in designing the Continental Currency, and went on to design an early form of the Great Seal of the United States. Hard to top Franklin's grave, though. I think vermontensium was thinking of leaving a lowball Franklin half on it when he was here for the ANA show. Most people leave a penny (as in, "saved" and "earned"). Edited by philadelphian
12/11/2013 7:51 pm
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Valued Member
United States
100 Posts |
Imagine Franklin halves being minted right across the street from his grave. I took my family to the mint about 8 or 10 years ago, and I thought it was awesome. It's truly amazing to see how fast the coins come out of those machines and into huge containers. There is also quite a bit of history of US coins on the tour, not to mention some extremely rare coins. And the gift shop is the best! Go There! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
745 Posts |
Great Philly Steak sandwich trucks all around...had a good time there too
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
Most people leave a penny (as in, "saved" and "earned").   |
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Valued Member
United States
256 Posts |
Went to the Denver mint a few years ago. Very interesting.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1373 Posts |
Upstate, your thread got me thinking (ouch). I'll be vacationing next summer a couple of hours north of Philly and now I'm thinking about maybe making some time for the Mint Tour. Would take some doing though to talk the wife into going with me.
A couple questions: About how long (in time) was your tour? Do you know if they sell ALL MINTAGES at the gift shop? Is parking in the area affordable? Is the neighborhood safe?
Thanks in advance!
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
I can't imagine you being able to just do the Mint, atticguy. The "neighborhood" the Mint is in is possibly the most historic area in the entire country - you'll be within sight of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were debated and signed. And those are merely the pearls in a huge array of historic places. That all might help with the wife, though.  Philadelphia is barely possible in one day. Parking will be tough - the Mint has none - but Philly has an extensive public transportation system, as good as New York's which is going some. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:Imagine Franklin halves being minted right across the street from his grave Didn't happen unfortunately. Franklin has been buried there for a LONG time, but the fourth Philadelphia mint didn't open in that location until 1969, six years after the Franklin halves ended. Edited by Conder101
12/12/2013 12:41 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3283 Posts |
My son was at an interview attempting to enter a post graduate college nearby. I was on a tight schedule in an area I was not familiar with so I didn't get to do much, there is a lot more close by. It's downtown and I felt safe walking around, some of the areas on the way in... not so much. The parking lot right around the corner cost $12 for the first hour and $10/hr after, not cheap but whatever. The tour is self guided and you could zip through in 10 minutes if you wanted, we were there about 45 min., I would have liked to stay in the gift shop a little longer but was running late. The good news, my son got accepted yesterday  so I believe he'll attend in philly (we'll see) so I'll be back over the next 4 years. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3283 Posts |
Nice pictures Dave.
My wife and I were walking by and she stopped, right where you can see the people in the top pic.
She says "Steve your not going to believe this" and there it was, the final resting place of Ben Franklin.
I couldn't believe it, blew me away. He is one of the Greatest men to have ever walked on this planet (IMO)
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Congratulations, upstate! Which school is he attending? There are some excellent ones in the city.
I hope you guys looked at the rest of Christ Church Burial Ground after offering your pennies to Ben - it's the final resting place of 4 signers of the Declaration of Independence as well as many of Philadelphia's most prominent early citizens whose names are too numerous to be relevant in a Coin Community thread.
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Replies: 16 / Views: 2,664 |
Posted 12/11/2013 3:49 pm
