The Charlotte Mint is one of three mints branches opening in the 1830s as a result of discovering gold in the Southeastern United States.
In 1792, the United States is starting out as a new nation. George Washington is its President, Kentucky becomes its 15th state, and Philadelphia is its capital and second largest city. Philadelphia houses the first US mint, being that the majority of the United States population at the time is north of there. At the time, Gold Coins are made from gold that comes from Europe and Spanish Territories, but this will soon change.
The First Authenticated Discovery Of Gold In The United States
n 1799, a 12 year old boy by the name of Conrad Reed is fishing in Little Meadow Creek on the family farm in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. While fishing, he discovers a yellow rock which weighs about 17 pounds.
He shows it to his father John Reed, a Hessian immigrant. Not knowing what he has, John uses the rock as a doorstop. It isn’t until 1802 when a jeweler tells him it’s gold. Not knowing how much gold is worth, Reed sells the nugget for a petty $3.50. The purchaser is happy to pay that amount. He ends up making over a thousand times that amount with that nugget. Supposedly, when Reed finds out how much it is worth, the jeweler gives him around $1,000.
Of course, Reed and his family start looking for more “yellow rocks” in the creek. In time, he hires some men including slaves so they can help search while he farms his crops. One slave, Peter, discovers a 28 pound nugget. This nugget is worth over $6,600. Needless to say, John Reed, an uneducated German immigrant, becomes a rich man. He continues mining the stream bed and in 1831 begins underground mining.
The Charlotte Mint
With gold from in North Carolina and later Georgia, Congress approves an act to build branch mints close by. The Reed Gold Mine is around 20 miles from Charlotte. So in 1835, the US Treasury purchases some land in Charlotte to build a US Mint Building.
On July 27, 1837, the Charlotte Mint opens. The first gold coin from the Charlotte Mint is a Five Dollar Gold Half Eagle on March 28, 1838. For the first time, a mint mark is on a coin. To distinguish if the coin is from Charlotte, a “C” mint mark is on the reverse of the coin. Only Gold Coins will come out of Charlotte.
The Charlotte Mint produces Quarter Eagles ($2.50) and Half Eagles ($5.00) from 1838 to 1861, but in 1844, a fire destroys the building. Production halts in Charlotte and there are no gold coins from there in 1845. A new building opens in 1846, making 1844-C and 1846-C key dates. In 1849, Gold Dollars start in Charlotte and will continue until 1861. Gold coins from Charlotte are rare and expect to spend a lot of money to obtain one.
The Mint Closes
With the Civil War beginning in 1861, North Carolina secedes the union in May, making the Confederacy in control of the Charlotte Mint and converts it to a hospital and military office. During the Reconstruction Period after the Civil War, there is talk of reopening the Charlotte, Dahlonega GA and New Orleans mints. Only the New Orleans Mint reopens in 1879. Mining at the Reed Gold Mine decreases and the last gold nugget is found in 1896. The building is used as an assay office until 1913. During World War I, it is used as a Red Cross Station and home to the Charlotte Women’s Club until 1919.
Demolition of the building almost occurs in 1931, but a local citizen’s group purchases the building and moves it from North Trade Street to Randolph Road. It is now the Mint Museum and contains a collection of Charlotte gold coins as well as art from North America, Europe and Africa.
Maybe someday, I can visit the building in Charlotte that produces the first Gold Coins that are minted from actual US gold. How about you?