Old San Francisco Mint, National Historic Landmark in South of Market, San Francisco, United States.
The Old San Francisco Mint is a Neoclassical building of grey sandstone above a granite basement, designed by Alfred B. Mullett and completed in 1874. A central pedimented portico of tall fluted Doric columns rises over a broad stone stair with wrought-iron handrails, flanked by projecting wings in an E-shape around an enclosed courtyard. A plain stone parapet runs above the cornice.
Construction of the Old San Francisco Mint began on April 1, 1869, and the building was completed in November 1874, replacing an 1854 branch mint on Commercial Street. Designed by Alfred B. Mullett, it cost $2,130,512. The Coinage Act of 1873 made San Francisco an independent mint, and it struck gold and silver coins, including bronze cents from 1908, until 1937.
The mint struck gold and silver coins and used the mint mark S; from 1908 it also produced bronze cents, the first branch besides Philadelphia to coin base-metal small change. The nickname "The Granite Lady" was a marketing term coined in the 1970s, though most of the facade is sandstone from Newcastle Island, British Columbia, above a granite basement.
The site is not open for regular public visits but is occasionally used as a venue for special events. Check current availability in advance to learn about any opportunities to view the building.
The building features an enclosed courtyard with a well that played a crucial role in protecting it during the 1906 earthquake. This water source helped repel the fires and preserved the structure during the disaster.
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