National Historic Landmark
The Mint was designed by Alfred Bult Mullett in 1869 and completed in 1874. The Old Mint was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961 and is nationally recognized for its importance as "the last major example of classical revival architecture" in the United States.
The Old Mint is one of the most important architecturally significant landmarks in the United States for it is one of the few significant buildings in the center of San Francisco to survive the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. During its 63 years of operation, the building played a vital role in the national economy; from producing over 59% of the country's gold and silver less than a year after its construction to acting as the secure repository of one-third of the nation's gold during the Great Depression. Now, with the planned restoration and conversion of the Old Mint into a museum celebrating San Francisco and the Bay Area through its history and its people, this National Historic Landmark will again serve its community.
Images courtesy of Bruce Chernin and the Library of Congress, The Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER).