US 2012 Annual Coin Production Tops 9.3 Billion, Jumps 13.9%

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Denali National Park Quarter
Denali National Park Quarter mintages are the highest among ATB quarters

U.S. Mint annual coin production jumped last year, extending a string of yearly increases to three.

The United States Mint produced over 9.3 billion coins for circulation in 2012. That marks an increase of more than 1.1 billion coins, or 13.9%, from the 8.2 billion struck in 2011.

Aside from dollars, coin amounts increased across every denomination. America the Beautiful Quarters led percentage gains, up 45.2% from a year ago. That was due, in large part and in some surprise, to Denali National Park quarters notching a higher tally than the four prior releases combined.

No surprise, because the U.S. Mint no longer strikes $1 coins for circulation but only for numismatic products sold to collectors, Presidential dollars plunged 92.4% and Native American dollars sank 85.2% from totals logged in 2011.

For reference, the following table shows how annual coin production levels adjusted on a per coin basis from 2011 to 2012.

2011 vs. 2012 Annual Coin Production

  Year
2011
Year
2012
2012 Unit Gain / Loss 2012 % Gain / Loss
Lincoln Cents 4,938,540,000 6,015,200,000 1,076,660,000 21.8%
Jefferson Nickels 990,240,000 1,023,600,000 33,360,000 3.4%
Roosevelt Dimes 1,502,000,000 1,676,000,000 174,000,000 11.6%
Quarters 391,200,000 568,010,000 176,810,000 45.2%
Kennedy Half Dollars 3,450,000 3,500,000 50,000 1.4%
Native American $1 77,560,000 5,880,000 -71,680,000 -92.4%
Presidential $1s 297,360,000 44,040,000 -253,320,000 -85.2%
Annual Production 8,200,350,000 9,336,230,000 1,135,880,000 13.9%

 

While collectors like low mintages, the higher penny through quarter totals may be good news for more Americans because production increases for lower denominated coins is often seen as a positive economic indicator.

The flip side of this was realized in 2009 when annual coin production plunged to 3.548 billion coins, or nearly 5.8 billion less than 2012. As daily transactions declined that year, so did the need for coins. Further, masses of people tapped into hoarded change to pay bills. In a reversal of the typical supply process, older coins flowed back into circulation and flooded the vaults of local financial institutions. They, as a result, stopped ordering new coins from Federal Reserve Banks who in turn reduced orders to the U.S. Mint.

Since 2009, annual coin production ramped up to 6.373 billion in 2010; 8.2 billion in 2011; and the 9.336 billion in 2012.

Coins for circulation come from either the Denver Mint or Philadelphia Mint. This year, as in most, the two facilities were closely matched in output. Denver produced a bit more than 4.64 billion coins while Philadelphia struck slightly more than 4.69 billion coins.

The following table offers a detailed look at coin mintages by U.S. Mint facility.

2012 Circulating Coin Production / Mintages by Design

  Denver Philadelphia 2012 Total
Lincoln Cents 2,883,200,000 3,132,000,000 6,015,200,000
Jefferson Nickels 558,960,000 464,640,000 1,023,600,000
Roosevelt Dimes 868,000,000 808,000,000 1,676,000,000
El Yunque Quarter 25,000,000 25,800,000 50,800,000
Chaco Culture Quarter 22,000,000 22,000,000 44,000,000
Acadia Quarter 21,606,000 24,800,000 46,406,000
Hawai’i Quarter 78,600,000 46,200,000 124,800,000
Denali Quarter 166,600,000 135,400,000 302,000,000
Kennedy Half Dollars 1,700,000 1,800,000 3,500,000
Native American $1 3,080,000 2,800,000 5,880,000
Arthur Presidential $1 4,060,000 6,020,000 10,080,000
Cleveland (1st Term) Presidential $1 4,060,000 5,460,000 9,520,000
Harrison Presidential $1 4,200,000 5,640,001 9,840,001
Cleveland (2nd Term) Presidential $1 3,920,000 10,680,000 14,600,000
Total 4,644,986,000 4,691,240,001 9,336,226,001

 

Returning to the topic of America the Beautiful Quarters, annual mintages have continued to rise since the series debuted in 2010. A total of 347 million were made that year. In 2011, the number climbed to 391.2 million. Last year the total soared to 568 million.

The biggest revelation in December was the published Denali National Park Quarter mintages. The U.S. Mint began striking this quarter-dollar in September. At a total of 302 million, no other ATB quarter comes close to its mintage. It was the amount since the 517.6 million mark was hit for the last 50 State Quarters® release in 2008 honoring Hawaii.

Here is a breakdown of coin production totals by America the Beautiful Quarter design.

2010 – 2012 America the Beautiful Quarters Mintages

  Denver Philadelphia Total
2010 Hot Springs National Park 34,000,000 35,600,000 69,600,000
2010 Yellowstone National Park 34,800,000 33,600,000 68,400,000
2010 Yosemite National Park 34,800,000 35,200,000 70,000,000
2010 Grand Canyon National Park 35,400,000 34,800,000 70,200,000
2010 Mount Hood National Forest 34,400,000 34,400,000 68,800,000
2011 Gettysburg National Military Park 30,400,000 30,800,000 61,200,000
2011 Glacier National Park 31,200,000 30,400,000 61,600,000
2011 Olympic National Park 30,600,000 30,400,000 61,000,000
2011 Vicksburg National Military Park 33,400,000 30,800,000 64,200,000
2011 Chickasaw National Recreation Area 69,400,000 73,800,000 143,200,000
2012 El Yunque Quarter 25,000,000 25,800,000 50,800,000
2012 Chaco Culture Quarter 22,000,000 22,000,000 44,000,000
2012 Acadia Quarter 21,606,000 24,800,000 46,406,000
2012 Hawai’i Quarter 78,600,000 46,200,000 124,800,000
2012 Denali Quarter 166,600,000 135,400,000 302,000,000
Total 682,210,000 624,000,000 1,306,210,000

 

Since the beginning of the America the Beautiful Quarters series in 2010, the U.S. Mint has produced 1.306 billion with each honoring a specific national park or national site in the U.S. or its territories.

In wrapping up mintages by coin design, here is a breakdown for the series of Presidential $1 Coins.

2007 – 2012 Presidential $1 Coin Mintages

  Denver Philadelphia Total
2007 George Washington $1 163,680,000 176,680,000 340,360,000
2007 John Adams $1 112,140,000 112,420,000 224,560,000
2007 Thomas Jefferson $1 102,810,000 100,800,000 203,610,000
2007 James Madison $1 87,780,000 84,560,000 172,340,000
2008 James Monroe $1 60,230,000 64,260,000 124,490,000
2008 John Quincy Adams $1 57,720,000 57,540,000 115,260,000
2008 Andrew Jackson $1 61,070,000 61,180,000 122,250,000
2008 Martin Van Buren $1 50,960,000 51,520,000 102,480,000
2009 William H. Harrison $1 55,160,000 43,260,000 98,420,000
2009 John Tyler $1 43,540,000 43,540,000 87,080,000
2009 James K. Polk $1 41,720,000 46,620,000 88,340,000
2009 Zachary Taylor $1 36,680,000 41,580,000 78,260,000
2010 Millard Fillmore $1 36,960,000 37,520,000 74,480,000
2010 Franklin Pierce $1 38,360,000 38,220,000 76,580,000
2010 James Buchanan $1 36,540,000 36,820,000 73,360,000
2010 Abraham Lincoln $1 48,020,000 49,000,000 97,020,000
2011 Andrew Johnson $1 37,100,000 35,560,000 72,660,000
2011 Ulysses S. Grant $1 37,940,000 38,080,000 76,020,000
2011 Rutherford B. Hayes $1 36,820,000 37,660,000 74,480,000
2011 James Garfield $1 37,100,000 37,100,000 74,200,000
2012 Arthur Presidential $1 4,060,000 6,020,000 10,080,000
2012 Cleveland (1st Term) Presidential $1 4,060,000 5,460,000 9,520,000
2012 Harrison Presidential $1 4,200,000 5,640,001 9,840,001
2012 Cleveland (2nd Term) Presidential $1 3,920,000 10,680,000 14,600,000
Total 1,198,570,000 1,221,690,000 2,420,260,000

 

Since the inception of the Presidential $1 Coin Program in 2007, the U.S. Mint has produced more than 2.42 billion of them. Annual increases going forward will continue to rise slower than earlier years now that collector demand determines how many are made.

Finally, coin production figures for December dropped noticeably from November, though that is typical as the Mint turns its attention toward newly dated coins. The U.S. Mint in December struck all denominations needed for commerce — the penny through quarter. The total rang in at 147.6 million coins. Here is a table showing how December ranks against past months in 2012.

Monthly 2012 Coin Production Figures / Mintages

Month Mintages Rank
December 2012 245.34 M 13
November 2012 765.76 M 9
October 2012 1,040.12 M 1
September 2012 905.34 M 4
August 2012 655.55 M 10
July 2012 906.62 M 3
June 2012 975.59 M 2
May 2012 819.86 M 6
April 2012 858.04 M 5
March 2012 781.70 M 8
February 2012 579.86 M 11
January 2012 802.50 M 7
December 2011 431.78 M 12

 

For reference, production figures for December follow.

Circulating Coinage Production in December 2012

Denomination Denver Philadelphia Total
Lincoln Cents 101,600,000 46,000,000 147,600,000
Jefferson Nickels 25,200,000 9,840,000 35,040,000
Roosevelt Dimes 37,000,000 22,500,000 59,500,000
2012 ATB Quarters 400,000 2,800,000 3,200,000
Kennedy Half Dollars 0 0 0
Native American $1s 0 0 0
Presidential Dollars 0 0 0
Total 164,200,000 81,140,000 245,340,000

 

Coin production figures are based on data aggregated from the U.S. Mint webpage at: http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/?action=coin_production.

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Vachon

I was really hoping 2012’s quarter-dollar production would be the lowest in quite some time. I guess the glut of Statehood Quarters has finally passed and ATB quarters will soon start making frequent appearances in my till at work.