Venue Information

The Old U.S. Mint holds the distinct title of being the only mint to produce American and Confederate coinage. A product of Andrew Jackson's "Bank War" and westward expansion, the mint was built in 1835 and constructed on the site of Fort St. Charles. It was designed by William Strickland of Philadelphia, who also designed the Second Bank of the U.S., the Philadelphia Mint, and the Tennessee State Capitol. The simplified, classical style of the building is reflective of Strickland's preferences and the Greek Revival era. Despite designing the building, Strickland did not oversee construction and never visited the site. Unfortunately, he did not take into account the soft soil of New Orleans in his design, forcing the mint to undergo numerous repairs.

Minting began in 1838 and continued until Louisiana seceded from the Union in 1861. Afterwards, the mint was transferred to the Confederacy and used to mint Confederate coinage and house troops. This did not la ...