Nevada State Museum Building

The Carson City Mint is a historic building in Carson City. It is located on the west side of Carson Street, between Robinson and Caroline. It was built in 1866-69 as a United States Mint, creating coins out of the silver that was being mined at Virginia City. In 1899 it was downgraded to a federal assay office, and in 1941 was sold to the State of Nevada. It then became the home of the Nevada State Museum, which it remains today.

Timeline

• 1863 - Bill enabling the establishment of a mint in Nevada Territory
• 1864 - Nevada granted statehood
• 1866 - Ground breaking for construction of the mint in Carson City
• 1869 - The mint building is completed and is fully equipped
• 1870 - First coins struck at the Carson Mint
• 1873 - Passage of the Coinage Act, which rendered some coins obsolete, and also introduced Trade dollars. - Death of Abe Curry
• 1874 - James Crawford appointed superintendent
• 1876 - Highest coinage production year
• 1878 - Morgan silver dollars introduced
• 1879-1881 - Many months of suspended coinage activity
• 1885 - Superintendent James Crawford dies - Operations suspended at mint
• 1889 - Operations resumed at mint
• 1890 - Passage of Sherman Bill, authorizing increased silver dollar production
• 1893 - Coinage operations suspended for good
• 1899 - Mint is officially designated as a U. S. assay office
• 1933 - All operations cease for good at mint
• 1939 - Mint building purchased by state of Nevada
• 1941 - Mint building transformed into the Nevada State Museum

See Also

• Three Historic Cities: U.S. Mint
• Carson City Coin Collectors of America
• History of Carson City Mint's Coin Press No. 1