United States Mint

The nation’s first capital city, Philadelphia has been home to the United States Mint since 1792, and while the capital moved to Washington DC, Philadelphia still produces the majority of US coins in circulation today. In addition to watching the production of coins and learning how money is made from educational displays, visitors can admire finished products and specialty coin proof sets in the gift shop.xa0You can visit the United States Mint independently—tours are self-guided—or stop by on a Philadelphia walking tour or hop-on hop-off bus.

• This free and educational attraction is a great stop for families.
• Adults must provide government-issued IDs upon entry.
• Photography, eating, and drinking are prohibited inside.
• While there are multiple US Mint production facilities across the US, the Philadelphia and Denver locations are the only ones that offer public tours.
• The US Mint is wheelchair accessible, but some parts of the operations are difficult to see from a wheelchair.
• Tours typically take about 45 minutes and no reservations are required.

The US Mint is located on 5th Street between Arch Street and Race Street in Philadelphia’s Historic District. There is no on-site parking available so it is best to visit on foot or by public transportation. Local buses, subways, and trolleys service the area and there is a subway stop (Market-Frankford Line) one block from the Mint. Hop-on hop-off bus tours also stop at the Mint.

The US Mint is open to public tours on weekdays. It is closed to the public during times when the Department of Homeland Security Threat Level is elevated to code orange (high risk).

While you’re in the heart of the nation’s first capital city, don’t miss the rest of the historic highlights. Visit the original 2,080-pound Liberty Bell and learn about its history at the Liberty Bell Center. See where the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were born at Independence Hall. Plus, take a stroll down Elfreth’s Alley, known as the nation’s oldest residential street.

Washington DC beat out Philadelphia as capital of the US back in 1790, but the City of Brotherly Love is still home to the nation’s first mint. Well over two centuries later, it’s one of the largest coin factories in the world, cranking out coins for circulation, commemorative coins, and gold and silver reserves.

Yes and no—all tours are self-guided ones. The full itinerary is free and takes about 45 minutes to complete. No reservations are needed (even for large groups), meaning you can just stroll up and get in line. In spring and summer, you can expect a brief wait to enter.

Yes, visitors receive a primer in all the steps involved in coin minting, from the design process to creating blanks, striking the designs, inspecting, and bagging coins to be sent to Federal Reserve Banks. It’s possible to watch the minting process in action from a safe distance above the factory floor.

Yes, it does have a gift shop in the lobby of the building, so it’s easy to pop in even if you don’t plan on completing the full tour. Visitors can pick up Mint coin sets, a variety of commemorative coins, books, games, and souvenirs there—basically everything numismatic.

Visitors can see a taxidermied version of the Bald Eagle known as Peter. Legend has it he was a regular fixture on the roofs of Mint back in the 1890s, when Philadelphia still had a Bald Eagle population. Mint designers still refer to his likeness when working on new designs.

No, the United States Mint is included on Philadelphia’s hop-on, hop-off bus tour lines. If coming by car, you can find lot or street parking as the Mint doesn’t provide parking. Otherwise, subway, trolley, and bus connections are along Market Street. There’s also a PATCO stop at 8th and Market.