West Point Mint
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The West Point Mint Facility was erected in 1937, near the U.S. Military Academy in New York State. Originally the West Point Bullion Depository, it gained official status as a branch of the United States Mint on March 31, 1988.
[edit] History
As of 1937 it served as a storage facility for silver bullion and was thus nicknamed "The Fort Knox of Silver." Even without United States Mint status, it produced U.S. coinage. From 1973 through 1986 the West Point Mint produced Lincoln cents, which bear no mint mark, making them seemingly indistinguishable from those produced at the Philadelphia Mint. 1977 to 1979 saw Bicentennial quarters and Washington quarters produced as well. Approximately 20 billion dollars worth of gold was stored in its vaults in the early 1980s; only Fort Knox had more.
September 1983 saw the first appearance of the "W" mint mark, from this still unofficial U.S. Mint, on $10 American Gold Eagles commemorating the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. This was the first legal tender U.S. gold coin since 1933. In 1986, American Eagle gold and silver bullion coins were solely produced at this facility, again with no mint mark.
[edit] Present
Today sole production of the entire American Eagle series proof and uncirculated bullion coins in gold, silver and platinum is located at West Point, along with all gold commemorative and a few silver commemorative coins. All commemoratives from West Point are struck with the "W" mint mark. Beginning in 2006, the West Point Mint also made all American Buffalo gold bullion coins.
The West Point Mint still acts as a gold bullion depository, and silver is kept on site only in quantities to meet minting demands.
In 2002, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point was honored for its 200 year anniversary, and a bicentennial commemorative silver dollar was issued and unveiled on March 16 of that year. Featuring a cadet color guard on the obverse and the helmet of Pallas Athena on the reverse. The coin was only produced at the West Point Mint.
