Numistify guide
Where Is the Mint Mark on a Coin? A Guide to US Coins
The mint mark is a small letter showing where a coin was struck, and it can make a big difference to value. Its position depends on the coin and the year; here is where to look.
The short answer
A mint mark is a small letter showing which mint struck the coin — D for Denver or S for San Francisco, for example; Philadelphia coins often have none. Where it sits depends on the series: on a Lincoln cent it is on the front, below the date, and on Washington quarters from 1968 it is on the front, to the right of the ponytail.
What a mint mark is, and why it matters
A mint mark is a small letter that shows which mint struck a coin. It matters because the same year can be common from one mint and scarce from another: in 1916 Philadelphia struck around 22 million Mercury dimes, but Denver struck only 264,000, and the 1916-D is one of the key dates of the century. A magnifying glass and good light make the letter much easier to read.
What the letters mean
| Letter | Mint |
|---|---|
| P | Philadelphia (often no letter at all — see below) |
| D | Denver |
| S | San Francisco |
| W | West Point |
| CC | Carson City (older coins) |
| O | New Orleans (older coins) |
Where to look on common US coins
| Coin | Years | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln cent | 1909–present | Front, below the date |
| Buffalo nickel | 1913–1938 | Back, below FIVE CENTS |
| Jefferson nickel | 1938–1942, 1946–1964 | Back, to the right of Monticello |
| Jefferson nickel, wartime silver | 1942–1945 | Back, large letter above Monticello (P, D or S) |
| Jefferson nickel | 1968–2004, 2006–present | Front, below the date |
| Jefferson nickel | 2005 | Front, above the date, below LIBERTY |
| Mercury dime | 1916–1945 | Back, at the bottom between ONE and the fasces |
| Roosevelt dime | 1946–1964 | Back, to the left of the torch |
| Roosevelt dime | 1968–present | Front, above the date |
| Washington quarter | 1932–1964 | Back, below the wreath |
| Washington quarter | 1968–present | Front, to the right of Washington’s ponytail |
| Walking Liberty half dollar | 1916 and some 1917 | Front, below IN GOD WE TRUST |
| Walking Liberty half dollar | 1917–1947 | Back, lower left, below the branch |
| Kennedy half dollar | 1964 | Back, below the eagle’s claws and olive branch |
| Kennedy half dollar | 1968–present | Front, above the date |
| Morgan dollar | 1878–1921 | Back, below the wreath, above “DO” of DOLLAR |
| Peace dollar | 1921–1935 | Back, below ONE, above the eagle’s tail |
Rules of thumb
Coins dated 1964 or earlier: the mint mark is usually on the back, near the bottom, often below a wreath or the eagle.
Coins dated 1968 or later: the mint mark moved to the front, near the date.
Wartime nickels (1942–1945): a large P, D or S above Monticello marks the 35% silver nickels. Some 1942 nickels were struck before the change and are not silver.
Why your coin may have no mint mark
It was struck at Philadelphia. For most of its history the Philadelphia Mint used no letter. A P appeared on the wartime nickels, and since the early 1980s most Philadelphia coins carry one — but the Lincoln cent normally still does not.
It is dated 1965, 1966 or 1967. No US coins of those years carry a mint mark.
It is a Lincoln cent from 1974 to 1986. The West Point Mint struck cents in those years with no mark, so they cannot be told apart from Philadelphia’s.
It is a known variety. The 1922 “No D” cent lost its mark through a filled die at Denver, the only mint striking cents that year; it is a valuable coin.
Questions people ask
What is a mint mark?
A small letter on a coin showing which mint struck it, such as D for Denver or S for San Francisco. The same date can be common from one mint and scarce from another, so the mint mark can change a coin’s value.
Where is the mint mark on a penny?
On a Lincoln cent it is on the front, below the date.
Where is the mint mark on a quarter?
On Washington quarters dated 1932 to 1964 it is on the back, below the wreath. From 1968 it is on the front, to the right of Washington’s ponytail.
Why does my coin have no mint mark?
Coins struck at Philadelphia often carry no mint mark at all, and no US coins dated 1965 to 1967 have one. Lincoln cents struck at West Point from 1974 to 1986 also have no mark.
Where is the mint mark on a silver dollar?
On a Morgan dollar it is on the back, below the wreath, above the letters DO of DOLLAR. On a Peace dollar it is on the back, below the word ONE, above the eagle’s tail.
Related guides
How to tell if a coin is valuable — where the mint mark fits among the other signs.
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