The amount of circulating coins coming out of the United States Mint surged last month, according to September coin production figures released by the government agency. The increase snaps two-straight monthly declines.
Mintages were not revealed for James Garfield Presidential dollars or Chickasaw National Recreational Area quarters, the final 2011-dated coins set to enter circulation this year. The numbers do indicate, however, that the United States Mint is busy striking the Garfield dollars which are scheduled to launch November 17.
Published Thursday by the Mint, September coin production figures accumulated to 811.42 million coins. The total was the third highest of the year and over the past 12 months. The Mint’s production output was 34.2 percent more than the previous month and 17.6 percent higher than September 2010.
Monthly US Mint Coin Production Figures / Mintages
| Month | Mintages | Rank |
| September 2011 | 811.42 M | 3 |
| August 2011 | 604.54 M | 9 |
| July 2011 | 821.98 M | 2 |
| June 2011 | 903.06 M | 1 |
| May 2011 | 807.41 M | 4 |
| April | 640.17 M | 8 |
| March | 485.5 M | 12 |
| February | 523.14 M | 11 |
| January 2011 | 764.73 M | 5 |
| December 2010 | 80.200 M | 13 |
| November 2010 | 531.46 M | 10 |
| October 2010 | 730.22 M | 6 |
| September 2010 | 690.02 M | 7 |
The United States Mint struck Lincoln cents, Jefferson nickels, and Roosevelt dimes in significantly higher amounts than the prior month. The pennies accounted for 66.4 percent of the entire monthly output. The Mint also struck Presidential $1 coins after having stopped in August for the first time since February.
As has been the case since January, United States Mint presses remained silent for Kennedy half dollars. And while produced in August, quarters and Native American $1 coins were also muted in September.
Coins that are produced for circulation are all struck at the United States Mint facilities in Denver and Philadelphia. Switching roles, the Denver Mint became much more active in September with an output of 479.4 million coins against the 332.02 million coins from Philadelphia.
US Mint Circulating Coin Production September 2011
| Denver | Philadelphia | Total | |
| Lincoln Cents | 316,400,000 | 222,400,000 | 538,800,000 |
| Jefferson Nickels | 58,800,000 | 42,960,000 | 101,760,000 |
| Roosevelt Dimes | 82,500,000 | 43,000,000 | 125,500,000 |
| 2011 Quarters | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kennedy Half Dollars | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Native American $1s | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Presidential Dollars | 21,700,000 | 23,660,000 | 45,360,000 |
| Total | 479,400,000 | 332,020,000 | 811,420,000 |
The monthly production spread between both plants was the widest since January. The United States Mint through the first nine months of this year struck 6.36195 billion coins for circulation — 3.24198 billion from Denver and 3.11997 billion from Philadelphia. The level is a scant 11.16 million shy of matching the Mint’s output in 2010 of 6.37311 billion coins and is already 1.8X higher than the 3.548 billion coins minted in 2009.
Garfield $1 Mintages Not Finalized
As mentioned, collectors must wait to discover the mintages for the last 2011-dated America the Beautiful Quarter and Presidential $1 coin. The Mint did not publish finalized figures but it appears the bureau is more than half through its run of James Garfield Presidential dollars. Presidential $1 coin production advanced 45.36 million in September, with splits of 23.66 from Philadelphia and 21.7 million from Denver. Past Presidential $1 coins from this year have had mintage totals that ranged between 72.66 million and 76.02 million.
For reference, the following table summarizes the latest United States mintage figures by coin design and denomination.
YTD 2011 Coin Production by Design
| Denver | Philadelphia | 2011 Total | |
| Lincoln Cents | 1,924,140,000 | 1,878,400,000 | 3,802,540,000 |
| Jefferson Nickels | 422,880,000 | 369,840,000 | 792,720,000 |
| Roosevelt Dimes | 611,000,000 | 601,000,000 | 1,212,000,000 |
| Gettysburg Park Quarters | 30,800,000 | 30,400,000 | 61,200,000 |
| Glacier Park Quarters | 31,200,000 | 30,400,000 | 61,600,000 |
| Olympic Park Quarters | 30,600,000 | 30,400,000 | 61,000,000 |
| Vicksburg Quarters | 33,400,000 | 30,800,000 | 64,200,000 |
| Kennedy Half Dollars | 1,700,000 | 1,750,000 | 3,450,000 |
| Native American $1 | 23,100,000 | 11,620,000 | 34,720,000 |
| Johnson Presidential $1 | 37,100,000 | 35,560,000 | 72,660,000 |
| Grant Presidential $1 | 37,940,000 | 38,080,000 | 76,020,000 |
| Rutherford B. Hayes $1 | 36,820,000 | 37,660,000 | 74,480,000 |
Coin production figures above are based on data from the United States Mint page: http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/?action=coin_production.
In the last couple of months I’ve received many more 2011 cents, nickels, and dimes in change than I had in the entire first half of the year. No quarters though. Originally I thought that the economy might be picking up a bit, but it now seems more like the Mint’s production was so low that new coins are finally needed. I’m still finding loads of older-date coins and bills in circulation which would seem to indicate people have been going through drawers, couch seams, etc. to find any extra money that was squirreled away. I’ve seen the same pattern… Read more »