U.S. coin production was relatively steady in August, although down from the previous month and from year ago levels, according to the latest round of manufacturing figures from the United States Mint.
Over 1.1 billion in cents, nickels, dimes, and quarters were pressed for circulation last month, lifting the Mint’s year-to-date production total to just over 10 billion coins.
In headline comparisons, the monthly total marks declines of 7% from July and 10.4% from August 2016. Here’s how the month stacks up against others in the past year:
2016 – 2017 August Coin Production Figures
| Month | Mintages | Rank |
| August 2017 | 1,167.48 M | 8 |
| July 2017 | 1,254.74 M | 6 |
| June 2017 | 1,252.88 M | 7 |
| May 2017 | 1,156.34 M | 9 |
| April 2017 | 959.54 M | 12 |
| March 2017 | 1,445.8 M | 3 |
| February 2017 | 983.40 M | 10 |
| January 2017 | 1,790.30 M | 1 |
| December 2016 | 696.68 M | 13 |
| November 2016 | 976.04 M | 11 |
| October 2016 | 1,297.36 M | 5 |
| September 2016 | 1,573.70 M | 2 |
| August 2016 | 1,302.95 M | 4 |
The Federal Reserve orders more 1-cent coins from the U.S. Mint than any other denominations even as it costs 1.5 cents to make and distribute each one. The agency produced 753.6 million Lincoln cents in August for 64.5% of the circulating-quality coins produced for the month.
P-Mint Cents Change
2017-dated circulating cents from the U.S. Mint facility at Philadelphia include a ‘P’ mint mark for the first time in history. This is a one-year-only embellishment, added as a small part of the Mint’s 225th anniversary celebration.
These P-cents are not rare, however, with more than 2.9 billion already made through the first eight months of this year.
Month-Over-Month
In the latest month-over month comparisons for coins used daily by Americans, the month of August saw:
- 7.7% fewer Lincoln cents,
- 6.9% more Jefferson nickels,
- 3.4% fewer Roosevelt dimes, and
- 15.3% fewer America the Beautiful Quarters.
Native American $1 Coins and Kennedy half-dollars are no longer ordered by Federal Reserve Banks but they are still made in circulating quality for coin collectors. In January, the U.S. Mint tends to strike both coins to the expected amounts needed for the entire year. The agency in April did produce 140,000 more 2017-P Native American dollars.
Production facilities in Denver and Philadelphia manufacture all of America’s coins for commerce. In August, the Denver Mint made 552.88 million coins and the Philadelphia Mint made 614.6 million coins.
Here’s a summary of all circulating-quality coins produced during the month:
US Mint Circulating Coin Production in August 2017
| Denomination | Denver | Philadelphia | Total |
| Lincoln Cents | 370,400,000 | 383,200,000 | 753,600,000 |
| Jefferson Nickels | 43,680,000 | 52,800,000 | 96,480,000 |
| Roosevelt Dimes | 77,000,000 | 109,000,000 | 186,000,000 |
| ATB Quarters | 61,800,000 | 69,600,000 | 131,400,000 |
| Kennedy Half Dollars | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Native American $1s | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 552,880,000 | 614,600,000 | 1,167,480,000 |
YTD Totals
Year-to-date figures at 4,914,900,000 coins from Denver and 5,095,580,000 coins from Philadelphia total 10,010,480,000 coins, representing a 12.8% decline from the 11,473,630,000 coins minted by the same time last year.
This next table lists 2017 coin production totals by denomination and by U.S. Mint facility:
YTD 2017 Circulating Coin Production by Denomination
| 1 ¢ | 5 ¢ | 10 ¢ | 25 ¢ | 50 ¢ | N.A. $1 | Total: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 2891.2M | 449.76M | 909M | 661.6M | 1.8M | 1.54M | 4914.9M |
| Philadelphia | 2928.8M | 466.56M | 965M | 731.6M | 1.8M | 1.82M | 5095.58M |
| Total | 5820M | 916.32M | 1874M | 1393.2M | 3.6M | 3.36M | 10010.48M |
This year’s monthly average of about 1.25 billion coins tracks over 12 months to roughly 15 billion coins. The U.S. Mint produced over 16 billion coins in 2016 after making over 17 billion coins in 2015, the most since 2001.
Ozark Riverways Quarter Mintages
The U.S. Mint has issued five 2017-dated coins bearing one-year-only designs. They include the:
- 2017 Native American $1 Coin, released on Jan. 25.
- 2017 Effigy Mounds Quarter for Iowa, released on Feb. 6.
- 2017 Frederick Douglass Quarter for D.C., released on April 3.
- 2017 Ozark Riverways Quarter for Missouri, released on June 5.
- 2017 Ellis Island Quarter for New Jersey, released on Aug. 28.
Mintages for the Native American dollar at 1.54 million from Denver and 1.82 million from Philadelphia combine to 3.36 million coins. Last year’s design ended with splits of 2.1 million from Denver and 2.8 million from Philadelphia for 4.90 million coins.
Production figures include 138.2 million quarters that have yet to be officially assigned to a design. These are a portion of the Ellis Island quarters which started to circulate in late August. More are being made. Their ending mintage should become public in October.
The following table offers a breakdown of this year’s mintages by coin design:
2017 Circulating Coin Production by Design
| Denver | Philadelphia | Total | |
| Lincoln Cents | 2,891,200,000 | 2,928,800,000 | 5,820,000,000 |
| Jefferson Nickels | 449,760,000 | 466,560,000 | 916,320,000 |
| Roosevelt Dimes | 909,000,000 | 965,000,000 | 1,874,000,000 |
| Effigy Mounds National Monument Quarter | 210,800,000 | 271,200,000 | 482,000,000 |
| Frederick Douglass National Historic Site Quarter | 185,800,000 | 184,800,000 | 370,600,000 |
| Ozark National Scenic Riverways Quarter | 200,000,000 | 202,400,000 | 402,400,000 |
| Ellis Island National Monument Quarter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| George Rogers Clark National Historical Park Quarter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kennedy Half-Dollars | 1,800,000 | 1,800,000 | 3,600,000 |
| Native American $1 Coins | 1,540,000 | 1,820,000 | 3,360,000 |
| Total | 4,849,900,000 | 5,022,380,000 | 9,872,280,000 |
Coin production figures in this coin news article are based on data aggregated from the Mint’s webpage at: https://www.usmint.gov/circulating-coins-production.
This sounds like a perverse take on the opening in “The Gift of the Magi”* – “1.1 billion coins, and more than half of it was in pennies.” When is this waste going to stop??
* “One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents** of it was in pennies.”
** an amount that throws a curve at modern readers who aren’t aware existence of 2¢ and 3¢ pieces …
Munzen –
Great suggestion! If Congress knew about our numismatic history, they could solve the cent & nickel “problem” by issuing either or both a 2-cent & 3-cent coin for circulation & for our Proof & Unc. Mint sets & get rid of the cent. Simple solution for sure. Have any of our members of Congress even seen a “Red Book”!?
-NumisdudeTX
Just saw the HSN coin guy … selling the palladium MS69 for $2,000 and the MS70 at $2,200 (both ANACS FDOI ..) sick suckers will probably buy it … and also pay $5 more for shipping and handling …
Tinto –
That is typical for Mike Mezack at HSN & CSN ripping off unknowledgeable people with his coins. HSN also charges sales tax on coins! In Texas that is an extra 8.25 percent on the cost of the item & on the S&H fee since Texas & some other states charge tax on services too.
-NumisdudeTX