The United States Mint produced fewer coins in August, marking a second straight month of declines and pulling further away from a string of four monthly increases set between February and June 2010.
However, the August decrease came in at a more modest 3.7 percent as compared to the higher 16.0 percent drop in output the U.S. Mint reported for July.
Also, August coin production levels did not fall across the board for every coin. The Mint struck substantially more Presidential Dollars and America the Beautiful Quarters™. Three interesting coin production events occurred in August:
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Grand Canyon National Park Quarter mintages were published, with a preliminary total of 69.4 million coins struck in Denver and Philadelphia. The level is between the pack, with the Hot Springs National Park quarters still easily ranking as the most scarce quarter-dollar design in decades. The Grand Canyon quarter does not launch into circulation until September 20, 2010. Its ceremonial release is on the following day.
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Coin demand during the first 8 months of 2010 has jumped past the entire 2009 production of cents by a factor of 1.2, of nickels by 2.8, of dimes by 5.0 and of Native American Dollars by 1.1. On the flip side, quarters are behind pace, standing at half the 2009 level so far this year.
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Coin production was skewed between Mint facilities. Normally production splits are somewhat different between Denver and Philadelphia, but not to the degree seen in August. Nearly 136 million more circulating coins were struck in Philadelphia than in Denver.
As the following August 2010 mintage figures illustrate, the only coins not manufactured during the month were Kennedy Half Dollars, which have been silent since January, and Native American Dollars, which were last struck in June at Denver.
August 2010 US Mint Circulating Coins Production
| Denver | Philadelphia | Total | |
| 2010 Lincoln Cents | 181,600,000 | 269,200,000 | 450,800,000 |
| 2010 Jefferson Nickels | 25,200,000 | 28,080,000 | 53,280,000 |
| 2010 Roosevelt Dimes | 61,000,000 | 78,000,000 | 139,000,000 |
| 2010 Quarters | 23,200,000 | 34,800,000 | 58,000,000 |
| 2010 Kennedy Half Dollars | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 Native American $1s | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 Presidential Dollars | 13,020,000 | 29,680,000 | 42,700,000 |
| Total | 304,020,000 | 439,760,000 | 743,780,000 |
Although August production slowed, it was still the third busiest month in 2010, falling behind July which was down from a surge in June.
2010 Monthly Mintage Totals
| January | February | March | April |
| 218.41 M | 194.40 M | 384.42 M | 451.96 M |
| May | June | July | August |
| 657.22 M | 918.94 M | 772.08 M | 743.78 M |
4,341,210,000 coins have been produced in total by the U.S. Mint through August. In contrast, 3,548,000,000 were made in all of 2009.
The 2010 Lincoln cent with its latest 450.8 million monthly increase surpassed the total production of all four 2009 Lincoln cents that were minted in 2009.
2010 Roosevelt dimes continue to make the 2009s more attractive to collectors. The 139 million produced in August alone is 52.36 million more than were struck in all of 2009.
The 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters™ mintage total equals the combined totals of the first four quarters, meaning the Mint has not yet started making the final 2010 Mt. Hood National Park Quarter. It is set to launch into circulation on November 15, 2010.
However, the total 2010 Presidential Dollar mintage is higher than the totals for the first three issued 2010 $1 coins. That indicates that the Mint has already started producing Abraham Lincoln Presidential Dollars. Those will be released on November 18, 2010.
The following is a breakout of the published mintages by coin design:
2010 YTD Coin Production by Design
| Denver | Philadelphia | 2010 Total | |
| Lincoln Cents | 1,306,000,000 | 1,451,630,000 | 2,757,630,000 |
| Jefferson Nickels | 97,680,000 | 147,840,000 | 245,520,000 |
| Roosevelt Dimes | 323,000,000 | 402,000,000 | 725,000,000 |
| Hot Springs National Park Quarters | 29,000,000 | 30,600,000 | 59,600,000 |
| Yellowstone National Park Quarters | 34,800,000 | 33,600,000 | 68,400,000 |
| Yosemite National Park Quarters | 34,800,000 | 35,200,000 | 70,000,000 |
| Grand Canyon National Park | 34,600,000 | 34,800,000 | 69,400,000 |
| Kennedy Half Dollars | 1,700,000 | 1,800,000 | 3,500,000 |
| 2010 Native American $1 | 42,980,000 | 32,060,000 | 75,040,000 |
| Fillmore Presidential $1 | 36,960,000 | 37,520,000 | 74,480,000 |
| Pierce Presidential $1 | 38,360,000 | 38,220,000 | 76,580,000 |
| Buchanan Presidential $1 | 36,540,000 | 36,820,000 | 73,360,000 |
Where are all the JFK Halves again this year????