Owner Comments:
MINT MEDAL APPEARANCE/CONDITION:
TOP-POP: Choice Brilliant Gem
*An absolutely stunning blazing red gem; phenomenal strike. — Finest graded example known to exist.*
MINT MEDAL BACKGROUND:
The first commemorative medal to be struck at the Denver Mint.
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Four varieties were struck by the Denver Mint: Gold, Silver Proof, Bronze and Gold Plated. Examples of all issues are included in this collection except gold. Additionally, a fifth bronze variety exists with the Denver Mint on the obverse instead of the Colorado settler. However, the reverse is the same as the prior three. An example of this issue also resides in this collection. A top-pop example of the “Silver Proof,” “Gold Plated,” and “Bronze Denver Mint Obverse” issues are included in this set. As for the original Bronze issue, the example in this collection is the second finest known in MS-66. Only one has been graded higher in MS-67. The Gold Plated issue in this set is the only known specimen to have been given the “PL” (proof-like) designation by NGC which exhibits its phenomenal quality. — Their respective catalog numbers by William Swoger, NGC grades, and pedigree (if applicable) are as follows:
- Silver: SWO53lb (PF-64 & PF-65 #1410: TOP-POP)
- Gold Plated: SWO-53lc (MS-65 PL #1410: TOP-POP)
- Bronze: SWO-53ld (MS-65 RD #1410 & MS-66 RD: 2nd Finest)
- Bronze Alternative Obverse: SWO-53ll-X (MS-68 RD: TOP-POP)
DESIGNER: Frank Gasparro
CATALOG NUMBER: SWO-53ll-X
RARITY: Unknown
(*TOP POP* NGC Pop = 1; NONE Finer): [04/2022]
MINT MEDAL DESCRIPTION:
(Denver Minted, Bronze, 33mm, Round, Plain Edge)
OBVERSE: United States Mint / (Design of Denver Mint) / D / Denver, Colorado
REVERSE: (Colorado Rocky Mountains; Colorado and USA in “76” Design) / 1876-1976 Colorado Centennial / D
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
(The Denver Mint):
“The mint in Denver was established by an act of Congress approved April 21, 1862. It was exclusively for the coinage of gold and the sum of $75,000 was appropriated to carry into effect the provisions of the act to meet the expenses for the fiscal year 1863. An act was passed February 20, 1895, providing for the establishment of a mint at Denver, Colo., for the coinage of gold and silver.
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The bill making appropriations for legislative, executive, and judicial expenses of the Government for the fiscal year 1896, approved March 2, 1895, made provision for the purpose of a site and the commencement of a mint building at Denver, at a cost of $100,000, and authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to contract for the completing of a building at a cost, including site, heating, ventilating, fireproof vaults, etc., not exceeding $500,000. On April 22, 1896, a site was purchased at a cost of $60,261.71. The original appropriation for the construction of the building was not sufficient, and this was increased by additional appropriations to $800,228.01. This amount has been further increased by providing that the amount received for the sale of the old mint building, authorized by act of June 30, 1906, shall be applied to the finishing of the new building. The new building was occupied in 1904, but the coinage operations were not commenced until February, 1906.“
Credited Source: Excerpt from Annual Report of the Director of the Mint to the Secretary of the Treasury Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1906 — Washington: Government Printing Office, 1906, Page 5-7. – Historical Reference Collection United States Mint