Lima Mint, National Mint in Barrios Altos, Lima, Peru
The Lima Mint is a building at Jiron Junin 781 featuring colonial architecture with thick stone walls and Spanish design elements. The Central Reserve Bank of Peru maintains it and continues producing national currency using modern manufacturing techniques.
The mint was founded in 1565 and began producing coins in 1568 as the first authorized monetary production facility in the Viceroyalty of Peru. Though relocation to Potosi was attempted in 1572, the facility persisted and started gold coin production in 1696.
The mint houses a numismatic museum where visitors can see historical coins and production equipment from different periods. These collections show how currency designs and manufacturing methods changed over time.
The building is located in the Barrios Altos neighborhood and is accessible by foot along Jiron Junin Street. Note that active production areas may have limited access for security reasons, while the museum housed within the building is open to visitors.
The facility has continuously produced coins for centuries, making it one of the oldest still-active mints in the Western Hemisphere. This unbroken function as a working production facility remains rare today and turns the place into a living testament to industrial continuity.
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