| Author |
 Replies: 17 / Views: 2,559 |
|
Valued Member
Slovenia
459 Posts |
I have been thinking ... Is there any realistic need for mint marks on coins today (or in 20th century)? I understand they were firstly employed in order to locate problems on coins (locate the mint). Is this even necessary anymore?
Don't get me wrong; I like how mint marks make this hobby more diverse, but I'm just wondering if there's any real need to use mint marks anymore.
|
|
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Of course there is. With Mint marks the government can keep track of how much work is being done at each Mint.  They also help fill in those otherwise empty places on coins.  |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
San Francisco and West Point routinely pick up the slack if Philly can't fill its quota on time. I think this has only been done for cents, but could be wrong. Both of these mints use Philly's dies.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
1747 Posts |
up here north of the 49th, we have 2 mints, however we only had mint marks for 2 years, (in the modern times) and I have to say that I am a bit jealous of the 3 mints you guys have all producing a different coins.
|
|
Moderator
 United States
188342 Posts |
Interesting topic. I enjoy them for the tradition and I wonder how it would affect the hobby in the US if they stopped using them.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
I think this has only been done for cents, but could be wrong. They also struck quarters from 1976 to 1979. I don't think the mintmarks are really necessary anymore (except to allow governments more products they can sell) and are only still used for traditional reasons |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1314 Posts |
They promote sales from the mint. You need to collect one from each mint.
|
|
Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
With the exception of payment for odd sales tax amounts even some of the denominations are not realistically needed.
The mint marks lost most of their reasons for existing in 1965, with the exceptions of silver and gold bullion and commemoratives.
|
|
Moderator
United States
188342 Posts |
Quote:
With the exception of payment for odd sales tax amounts even some of the denominations are not realistically needed. Any denomination can be eliminated if totals are properly rounded. The tax rate is irrelevant. We have 8.5% sales tax in Charleston, works just fine without a Half Cent.  |
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
5240 Posts |
@Conder101 is correct.
Mint marks go back to ancient times, when it was important to know if the mintmaster was dipping into the treasury by making substandard coins.
Minting is rather obviously different now, with no precious metals for circulation and a high degree of standardization and uniformity.
Canada has a thriving numismatic community even though mintmarks were very rarely used.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Similarly with making excessive stamps, sporting cards, little cars, etc. I am surprised our government hasn't created more Mints. Look at our Quarters. One for every park, state, city, garbage dump, prison, etc. So why not more Mints? One in each State. Then for our Quarters we could have 50 different ones for each THING they put on the back.  |
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
I am surprised our government hasn't created more Mints. Cheaper just to create different finishes and different "sets". |
|
Valued Member
United States
422 Posts |
If the mints stop using mint marks the album companies will lose money by stamping less holes in the album pages. Just a thought not that I have any interest in those companies other buying them so that I can organize the PDS mint coins.
|
|
Valued Member
 Slovenia
459 Posts |
Thanks for your thoughts.
Here in Europe is similar thing with Germany. They have five mints, which makes collecting 2€ CC's kind of a mess ;)
|
|
New Member
United States
39 Posts |
Quote:
I am surprised our government hasn't created more Mints.
I'm actually surprised they haven't promoted West Point more as another mint mark to sell the quarters with, though they came close initially by rolling out a few coins with their mark present, most notably the 1996-W dime. Pure gimmickry that came a little ahead of it's time.
|
|
Moderator
United States
188342 Posts |
Quote:
If the mints stop using mint marks the album companies will lose money by stamping less holes in the album pages. I doubt that. The album companies are already losing money from their own incompetence, by not issuing updated pages with holes for all of the special things the mint has created in recent years. |
| |
Replies: 17 / Views: 2,559 |
Posted 04/06/2016 09:46 am
