Mint production up 45 percent

This article was originally printed in the latest issue of Numismatic News.
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Coin production leaped 45 percent in the month of May at the U.S. Mint. Production was 657.22 million coins as compared to 451.96 million in April.

At 409.2 million pieces, almost two-thirds of May coin production was comprised of cents.

Next in line came dimes. The May production total of 146 million pushed the 2010 total beyond that recorded in all of 2009. Philadelphia struck 81.5 million dimes in May and Denver 64.5 million, bringing the 2010 calendar year total to 259.5 million pieces. In comparison, in 2009, dime production was just 146 million pieces for the entire year.

Nickel production in 2010 continues to lag the 2009 total. So far 29.28 million nickels have been struck as compared to 86.64 million in 2009. All of the 2010 nickel production has occurred in Philadelphia so far.

Quarter production is running at roughly half the 2009 pace. Only 123.4 million pieces have been struck in the first five months of 2010. If translated to an annual rate, this would work out to 296.16 million pieces. This compares to 533.92 million quarters struck in all of 2009.

No half dollars were struck in May and almost no Presidential dollars were coined. Philadelphia presses cranked out just 840,000 Presidential pieces.

Denver turned out 27.58 million Native American dollars in May while Philadelphia was idle for that denomination.

As is usual practice, totals were fairly evenly divided between Philadelphia and Denver. Philadelphia produced 350.34 million coins and Denver 306.88 million in May.

So far this year, Mint output stands at 1.90641 billion coins.

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