National Mint of Bolivia, Historical currency museum in Potosí, Bolivia
The National Mint of Bolivia is a museum in Potosí that displays colonial coin-making machines and two floors of exhibits about silver processing. The rooms contain tools, presses, and smelting furnaces that show how coins were made from raw material to finished form.
The mint was established in 1572 and struck silver coins for the Spanish Empire across three centuries. Operations ceased in the 20th century after Potosí lost its wealth and influence.
The building displays paintings by local artists and furniture from the era when silver coins were struck here. Visitors can see religious objects and tools that illustrate daily life during colonial times.
The museum offers guided tours in several languages that lead through the different floors and workshops. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes as the tours involve steep stairs and uneven floors.
Mules once turned the heavy wooden rollers that pressed silver bars into thin sheets. These machines remain in their original condition and show the physical force required for every coin.
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