U.S. Mint Produced Nearly 14.5 Billion Coins for Circulation in 2021

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The pace of striking U.S. coins for circulation was quick in 2021 but down from 2020, production figures from the United States Mint show.

2021 Tuskegee Airmen Quarter and 2021 George Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter
CoinNews photo of a 2021 Tuskegee Airmen Quarter and a 2021 George Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter. The U.S. Mint produced over 2.1 billion of these two quarters for circulation in 2021.

U.S. minting facilities shipped nearly 14.5 billion coins to Federal Reserve Banks for release into circulation in calendar year 2021, dipping 1.9% from the over 14.7 billion coins made in 2020 when production was ramped up to alleviate coin circulation issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here is a summary of U.S. coin production totals in 2021 compared to those from 2020:

US Mint Annual Coin Production (2021 vs 2020)

  Year 2020 Year 2021 2021 Unit Gain / Loss 2021 % Gain / Loss
Cents 7,596,400,000 7,908,620,000 312,220,000 4.1%
Nickels 1,623,100,000 1,570,780,000 -52,320,000 -3.2%
Dimes 2,778,500,000 2,830,250,000 51,750,000 1.9%
Quarters 2,768,000,000 2,168,200,000 -599,800,000 -21.7%
Half Dollars 5,700,000 13,100,000 7,400,000 129.8%
Native American $1 2,660,000 2,520,000 -140,000 -5.3%
Total 14,774,360,000 14,493,470,000 -280,890,000 -1.9%

 

U.S. Mint plants in Philadelphia and Denver manufacture all of America’s coins for commerce. In 2021, the Philadelphia Mint made 7,053,310,000 coins while the Denver Mint made 7,440,160,000 coins.

Mintages of Kennedy half-dollars and Native American dollars are lower than other coins because the Federal Reserve no longer orders them for circulation (or rarely does in the case of halves). Dollar coins (and usually half dollars) are produced only for U.S. Mint collectible sales.

Reported mintages for 2021 Kennedy half-dollars totaled 13.1 million with splits of 7.7 million from Denver and 5.4 million from Philadelphia. Marking an unusual year for halves, most of them were actually ordered by the Federal Reserve for circulation. As a comparison, 2020-dated half dollars ended at 3.4 million from Denver and 2.3 million from Philadelphia for a combined 5.7 million coins. Mint fiscal year data shows 12 million halves shipped to Federal Reserve Banks in 2021 against zero in 2020. (The Mint’s fiscal year begins on Oct. 1 and ends on Sept. 30. Outside of the 12 million halves just mentioned, all other data presented in this article is for calendar year 2021.)

Mintages of 2021 Native American dollars ended with equal splits of 1.26 million from Denver and 1.26 million from Philadelphia for a combined 2.52 million coins. In contrast, the 2020 dollar saw 1.26 million for Denver and 1.4 million for Philadelphia for 2.66 million coins.

The Federal Reserve orders more 1-cent coins from the U.S. Mint than any other denomination even as data shows that it costs 2.1 cents to make and distribute each one. The over 7.9 billion cents struck last year represents 54.6% of the combined production total for 2021. In 2020, the Mint manufactured nearly 7.6 billion cents for 51.4% of all coins minted for circulation.

This next table shows 2021 circulating coin mintages by production facility, denomination, and design.

2021 Circulating Coin Production by Design

Denver Philadelphia Total
Lincoln Cent 3,982,800,000 3,925,820,000 7,908,620,000
Jefferson Nickel 798,000,000 772,780,000 1,570,780,000
Roosevelt Dime 1,481,000,000 1,349,250,000 2,830,250,000
Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site Quarter (Alabama) 304,000,000 160,400,000 464,400,000
George Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter 865,400,000 838,400,000 1,703,800,000
Kennedy Half-Dollar 7,700,000 5,400,000 13,100,000
Native American $1 Coin 1,260,000 1,260,000 2,520,000
Total 7,440,160,000 7,053,310,000 14,493,470,000

 

Final America the Beautiful Quarter Mintages

The U.S. Mint’s program of America the Beautiful Quarters® ended in early 2021 with the final release — the 2021 Tuskegee Airmen quarter for Alabama. It ended with mintages of 304 million from Denver and 160.4 million from Philadelphia for a combined 464.4 million.

Fifty-six unique America the Beautiful quarter designs were released from 2010 to 2021.

The 2016 Harpers Ferry National Historical quarter for West Virginia is the series’ mintage leader at 858.63 million while the 2012 Chaco Culture National Historical Park quarter for New Mexico ended at the bottom of the pack with 44 million.

The scarcest America the Beautiful quarter dollar by production facility is the Denver Mint-struck 2012-D Acadia National Park quarter at 21.6 million. The ‘P’ and ‘D’ Chaco Culture quarters follow with each at 22 million.

Aside from 2021, five unique America the Beautiful designs were issued in each year of the program. Combined ATB quarter mintages by year include:

  • 347 million in 2010,
  • 391.2 million in 2011,
  • 568 million in 2012,
  • 1.455 billion in 2013,
  • 1.58 billion in 2014,
  • 2.99 billion in 2015,
  • 2.35 billion in 2016,
  • 2.11 billion in 2017
  • 1.85 billion in 2018,
  • 1.6516 billion in 2019,
  • 2.768 billion in 2020, and
  • 464.4 million in 2021.

Overall, the U.S. Mint struck over 18.5 billion America the Beautiful Quarters with each celebrating a different national park or national site in the United States or its territories. Here is a breakdown of production totals by quarter design and coin production facility:

2010 – 2021 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 Hawaii Quarter 78,600,000 46,200,000 124,800,000
2012 Denali Quarter 166,600,000 135,400,000 302,000,000
2013 White Mountain Quarter 107,600,000 68,800,000 176,400,000
2013 Perry’s Victory Quarter 131,600,000 107,800,000 239,400,000
2013 Great Basin Quarter 141,400,000 122,400,000 263,800,000
2013 Fort McHenry Quarter 151,400,000 120,000,000 271,400,000
2013 Mount Rushmore Quarter 272,400,000 231,800,000 504,200,000
2014 Great Smoky Mountains Quarter 99,400,000 73,200,000 172,600,000
2014 Shenandoah National Park Quarter 197,800,000 112,800,000 310,600,000
2014 Arches National Park Quarter 251,400,000 214,200,000 465,600,000
2014 Great Sand Dunes Quarter 171,800,000 159,600,000 331,400,000
2014 Everglades National Park Quarter 142,400,000 157,601,200 300,001,200
2015 Homestead National Monument of America Quarter 248,600,000 214,400,000 463,000,000
2015 Kisatchie National Forest Quarter 379,600,000 397,200,000 776,800,000
2015 Blue Ridge Parkway Quarter 505,200,000 325,616,000 830,816,000
2015 Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge Quarter 206,400,000 275,000,000 481,400,000
2015 Saratoga National Historical Park Quarter 215,800,000 223,000,000 438,800,000
2016 Shawnee National Forest Quarter 151,800,000 155,600,000 307,400,000
2016 Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Quarter 223,200,000 215,400,000 438,600,000
2016 Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Quarter 424,000,000 434,630,000 858,630,000
2016 Theodore Roosevelt National Park Quarter 223,200,000 231,600,000 454,800,000
2016 Fort Moultrie Quarter 142,200,000 154,400,000 296,600,000
2017 Effigy Mounds National Monument Quarter 210,800,000 271,200,000 482,000,000
2017 Frederick Douglass National Historic Site Quarter 185,800,000 184,800,000 370,600,000
2017 Ozark National Scenic Riverways Quarter 200,000,000 203,000,000 403,000,000
2017 Ellis Island National Monument Quarter 254,000,000 234,000,000 488,000,000
2017 George Rogers Clark National Historical Park Quarter 180,800,000 191,600,000 372,400,000
2018 Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Quarter (MI) 182,600,000 186,714,000 369,314,000
2018 Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Quarter (WI) 216,600,000 223,200,000 439,800,000
2018 Voyageurs National Park Quarter (MN) 197,800,000 237,400,000 435,200,000
2018 Cumberland Island National Seashore Quarter (GA) 151,600,000 138,000,000 289,600,000
2018 Block Island National Wildlife Refuge Quarter (RI) 159,600,000 159,600,000 319,200,000
2019 Lowell National Historical Park Quarter (MA) 182,200,000 165,800,000 348,000,000
2019 American Memorial Park Quarter (MP) 182,600,000 142,800,000 325,400,000
2019 War in the Pacific National Historical Park Quarter (GU) 114,400,000 116,600,000 231,000,000
2019 San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Quarter (TX) 129,400,000 142,800,000 272,200,000
2019 Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Quarter (ID) 251,600,000 223,400,000 475,000,000
2020 National Park of American Samoa Quarter (AS) 212,200,000 286,000,000 498,200,000
2020 Weir Farm National Historic Site Quarter (CY) 155,000,000 125,600,000 280,600,000
2020 Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve Quarter (USVI) 515,000,000 580,200,000 1,095,200,000
2020 Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park Quarter (VT) 345,800,000 304,600,000 650,400,000
2020 Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Quarter (KS) 142,400,000 101,200,000 243,600,000
2021 Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site Quarter (AL) 304,000,000 160,400,000 464,400,000
Total 9,543,606,000 8,997,961,200 18,541,567,200

 

2021 George Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter Mintages

Last year the U.S. Mint also issued the George Washington Crossing the Delaware quarter. It turned out to be, in essence, a transition quarter circulated after the last America the Beautiful Quarter and before the first 2022 American Women quarters.

Circulating mintages for the 2021 George Washington Crossing the Delaware quarter register high at 865.4 million from Denver and 838.4 million from Philadelphia for a combined 1,703,800,000.

Coin Production in December 2021

Normally, December is a significantly slower production month as the U.S. Mint adjusts their tooling for the upcoming year’s coins. That has not been the case in the last two Decembers with solid amounts of 953.37 million coins in December 2021 and 903.50 million coins in December 2020.

More typical Decembers are represented in years 2011 to 2019, for example, with their totals of 431.78 million, 245.34 million, 285.96 million, 878.84 million, 707.79 million, 696.68 million, 762.86 million, 560.64 million, and 400.88 million.

Here’s how last month compares against others in the past year:

December 2020 to December 2021 Circulating Coin Production

Month Mintages Rank
December 2021 953.37 M 11
November 2021 1,104.7 M 10
October 2021 1,213.86 M 5
September 2021 1,169.28 M 7
August 2021 1,187.32 M 6
July 2021 1,505.24 M 1
June 2021 1,348.60 M 3
May 2021 1,473.06 M 2
April 2021 1,320.28 M 4
March 2021 1,134.84 M 9
February 2021 1,163.40 M 8
January 2021 919.52 M 12
December 2020 903.50 M 13

 

This last table shows productions totals by denomination for December:

US Mint Circulating Coin Production in December 2021

Denomination Denver Philadelphia Total
Lincoln Cents 315,600,000 288,220,000 603,820,000
Jefferson Nickels 27,120,000 41,280,000 68,400,000
Roosevelt Dimes 69,500,000 72,250,000 141,750,000
Quarters 72,200,000 67,200,000 139,400,000
Kennedy Half Dollars 0 0 0
Native American $1s 0 0 0
Total 484,420,000 468,950,000 953,370,000

 

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FViia

This may explain my car wash experience.

Rich

Occidents happen.

Rich

Major D, the dearth of the 2021 George Washington Crossing the Delaware quarters in the Washington, DC area is a conundrum, especially in light of the very high circulating mintages of the coin. Compared to all of the 2010 – 2021 America the Beautiful Quarters mintages of 18,541,567,200, the 2021 George Washington Crossing the Delaware quarters mintage of 1,703,800,000 is approximately 9.2% of all the 21 years of ATB quarters minted. As I commented earlier, there seems to be some disparity in the distribution and circulation of these quarters around the country, regionally by state and county. For instance, in… Read more »

Rich

It has a high relative humidity and we call it a woodie.

Rich

Major D, maybe the conundrum is solved, as Chris T alluded to: the change (coins) is being stored in “coin jars” by the public. As illustrated in this infographic by the U.S. Mint titled “How Coins Circulate” circulating coins are initially produced at the U.S. Mints and ultimately end up in coin jars.

coin_circulation_cycle_infographic.png
Rich

Sir Kaiser, this still seems to be the coin topic du jour, and the Mint web site is also highlighting it in a featured topic on “Explore how quarters enter circulation to reach your hands.” Here are some finer points: Coins circulate between banks, businesses, and people. When people keep coins to drop in change jars, piggy banks, or collections, they take the coins out of circulation. The U.S. Mint produces more than 10 billion circulating coins a year. New coins account for less than 20 percent of the total coins in circulation. The average lifespan of a coin is… Read more »

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