Shall The Original Federal Mint Be Rebuilt ?

It's always fascinating to see how Americans are somewhat obsessed with taxes and tax money, even in a thread like this. The best way to enrage an American is still to say that something he or she may not agree to has been done with tax money, like rebuilding a possible piece of your cultural heritage or so. ;) ;)

Anyway, when it comes to cents: the cost of producing them has been higher than their value for some time now, which would be a good reason to get rid of it. I can't pay anything with cents anymore nowadays anyway, which is why I, living overseas, am stuck with about 1000 or so of them now. Or even more, I haven't counted. Demonetizing money for that reason is something we're quite used to here in good ol' Yurop anyway. Just some years ago we in Norway got rid of the 50 Øre coin, worth about 8 US cent at the time, making the 1 Krone piece the smallest coin (12 US cents in the current exchange rate, 16 cent back then). The Øre is still very much alive in banking, though.

Just to be clear, I draw a distinction between restoring an existing structure to its former glory and the building of a replica in its stead.

In the case of the Philadelphia Mint, I am fine with just having the plaque at the original location. Let the memory of the original mint building stand on its own, do not cheapen it with a replica.

Just my opinion. I could be wrong.

Now that is something I can support.

The tore it down between 1907 and 1911. Maybe they saved the rubbish. You can sell that instead.

If I remember correctly it was later loaned to the Mint for a display and then kind of "disappeared". It may be in the hands of the Mint or it may have been turned over to the Smithsonian

OK did some checking, part of Stewart's donation is on exhibition at the US Mint in Philadelphia, some of it is in storage in the basement of the First National Bank building in Philadelphia, and unfortunately some of it has gone missing over the years. The collection is owned by the City of Philadelphia, and is on permanent loan to the Independence Hall National Park. The artifacts and the two paintings Ye Old Mint, and Washington Inspecting the First Coins are on long term loan to the Bureau of the Mint from the Independence Hall National Park. Pictures of many of the coins and some of the Artifacts can be seen in the book "The Secret History of the First US Mint" by Joel Orosz and Leonard Augsburger

As Stewart donated it on the terms that it be kept togeterh and to be on permanent display, maybe his heirs should request it's return since the terms of the bequest are not being honored.

UltraRant: Not all Americans are such a "stick in the mud". I personally find such people to be obnoxious. There is a growing trend now where people like to get all "pitch fork-y" over controversial issues and topics without actually understanding what they are up in arms about. I am quite proud to be an American and I am quite proud of our culture and history. It makes me sick to think that the rest of world thinks we are a joke. I hate that we get misrepresented by the ignorance that plagues our society.