Where the mint mark is on a US coin
One letter, moved several times in a century. Here is where to find it on every circulating denomination, and what each letter means.
In the Buck index
Mercury DimeUnited States · 1916–1945 · Silver (.900)$6.01 to $9.97
Washington QuarterUnited States · 1932–1964 · Silver (.900)$13.53 to $16.01
Lincoln CentUnited States · 1909–1958 · Bronze$0.21 to $1.88
A mint mark is a single letter saying which facility struck the coin. On a common date it changes nothing. On a scarce one it can be the entire value of the coin, which is why it is worth knowing where to look before deciding a coin is ordinary.
The letters
- No letter is Philadelphia, on most coins before 1980
- P is Philadelphia, on most coins after 1980
- D is Denver, from 1906
- S is San Francisco, from 1854, proof coins only after 1974
- CC is Carson City, 1870 to 1893
- O is New Orleans, 1838 to 1909
- W is West Point, mostly bullion
D also means Dahlonega on gold coins struck before the Civil War, and C means Charlotte on the same. Neither mint struck anything but gold, and neither has operated since 1861.
Where to look, by coin
| Coin | Where the mark sits |
|---|---|
| Lincoln Cent | Obverse, under the date |
| Jefferson Nickel, 1938 to 1964 | Reverse, right of the building |
| Jefferson Nickel, 1968 on | Obverse, right of the date |
| Buffalo Nickel | Reverse, under FIVE CENTS |
| Mercury Dime | Reverse, left of the fasces base |
| Roosevelt Dime, 1946 to 1964 | Reverse, left of the torch base |
| Roosevelt Dime, 1968 on | Obverse, above the date |
| Washington Quarter, to 1964 | Reverse, under the eagle |
| Washington Quarter, 1968 on | Obverse, right of the ribbon |
| Morgan and Peace Dollar | Reverse, below the wreath |
The 1965 to 1967 gap
There are no mint marks on US circulating coins from 1965, 1966 or 1967. A national coin shortage was blamed partly on collectors pulling coins out of circulation, so the Mint removed the marks to make dates less collectable. They came back in 1968 and mostly moved to the obverse at the same time, which is why the table above splits at 1968.
If you are holding a 1966 quarter and cannot find a mint mark, the coin is fine. There was never one to find.
The wartime nickels
From late 1942 to 1945, nickel metal went to the war and five-cent pieces were struck in an alloy containing 35% silver. To make them easy to withdraw later, the Mint put a large mint mark above Monticello on the reverse, including a P for Philadelphia, the first time Philadelphia ever marked a coin.
A big letter over the dome means silver, and a wartime nickel is worth several dollars rather than five cents. It is the one mint mark on this page that is impossible to miss and worth real money.
