Mines around Nevada were producing rich precious metal ore, difficult and dangerous to transport. It made sense to convert it into coins locally. Work on the Carson City mint started in 1866. In 1870, the mint started working, producing quarters, halves, dollars and gold. In 1876, production was at its largest, with almost 16 million coins, half of which dimes. After 1878, only silver dollars and gold was struck, on average around 1.5 million coins a year, mostly dollars. Mintage stopped in 1893 and the building was turned into an assay office. The office was closed in 1933 and the building abandoned.
In 1939, the government permitted the State of Nevada to turn the building into a State Museum. Bad timing. It took until the end of the second world war, before renovation and extension was completed. In 1941, visitor capacity was around 500 000, but there were only 1775 visitors. However, through private initiative and financing, the idea was saved. The map and picture date from around 1970. The museum is marked J, on Robinson and Curry.
The press (number 5) is a major exhibit. It was made in 1868 by Morgan and Orr. It started (silver dollar) production in Carson City in 1870 and went through a major revision by the Virginia & Truckee railroad shop in 1878. It was idle when the mint was closed in 1893, until it was shipped to the Philadelphia mint in 1899. Steam was replaced by electricity in 1930, giving the press a new lease of life. In 1945, it was moved to San Francisco to replace number 1, which was sold for scrap. It returned to Carson City in 1958 as a museum exhibit, but it is still capable of striking coins and medals. At some time after 1970, its number was fraudulently changed from 5 to 1, though.
Peter
