The United States Mint produced over 3.96 billion coins for circulation during the first quarter of 2022, for the highest first quarterly total since 2017 when over 4.2 billion were struck.
As for March, the U.S. Mint pressed over 1.45 billion coins, marking the most since July, a quicker pace for a third month in a row, and posting increases of 15.3% from February and 28% from March 2021.
Here’s how the month compares against others in the past year:
March 2021 to March 2022 Circulating Coin Production
Month | Mintages | Rank |
---|---|---|
March 2022 | 1,452.58 M | 3 |
February 2022 | 1,260.12 M | 6 |
January 2022 | 1,249.84 M | 7 |
December 2021 | 953.37 M | 13 |
November 2021 | 1,104.7 M | 12 |
October 2021 | 1,213.86 M | 8 |
September 2021 | 1,169.28 M | 10 |
August 2021 | 1,187.32 M | 9 |
July 2021 | 1,505.24 M | 1 |
June 2021 | 1,348.60 M | 4 |
May 2021 | 1,473.06 M | 2 |
April 2021 | 1,320.28 M | 5 |
March 2021 | 1,134.84 M | 11 |
The U.S. Mint’s main mission is to manufacture coins based on the nation’s demand and transport them to Reserve Banks and their coin terminals for distribution into circulation.
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 Mint struck 780.4 million Lincoln cents in March, representing 53.7% of the circulating-quality coins produced last month.
Month-Over-Month
In month-over month comparisons for coins used daily by Americans, production totals in March saw:
- 12.4% more Lincoln cents,
- 12.8% fewer Jefferson nickels,
- 37.4% more Roosevelt dimes, and
- 19.4% more quarters.
Native American $1 coins are no longer ordered by the Federal Reserve, but they are still made in circulating quality for coin collectors. The same is true, or was until last year, for Kennedy half-dollars. Traditionally in January, the U.S. Mint produces both denominations to the expected amounts needed for the entire year. That turned true in 2021 for Native American dollars, but not for halves which saw their mintage last year increase in February, March, April, May and August.
Published mintages of 2022 Native American dollars were unchanged in March, with equal splits of 980,000 from Denver and 980,000 from Philadelphia for a combined 1.96 million coins. In contrast, the 2021 dollar logged splits of 1.26 million for Denver and 1.26 million for Philadelphia for 2.52 million coins.
Mintages for the 2022 Kennedy half-dollar also remained unchanged from January. They stand at 1.6 million from Denver and 1.6 million from Philadelphia for a total of 3.2 million. Last year’s half-dollar ended with a mix of 7.7 million from Denver and 5.4 million from Philadelphia for a combined 13.1 million.
The U.S. Mint started selling rolls, bags and boxes of 2022 Native American dollars on Feb. 9. Rolls and bags of 2022 Kennedy halves are scheduled for release on May 5.
Here’s a summary of all the circulating-quality coins produced last month:
U.S. Mint Circulating Coin Production in March 2022
Denver | Philadelphia | Total | |
---|---|---|---|
Lincoln Cent | 403,200,000 | 377,200,000 | 780,400,000 |
Jefferson Nickel | 68,880,000 | 55,200,000 | 124,080,000 |
Roosevelt Dime | 179,000,000 | 142,500,000 | 321,500,000 |
Quarters | 112,800,000 | 113,800,000 | 226,600,000 |
Kennedy Half-Dollar | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Native American $1 Coin | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 763,880,000 | 688,700,000 | 1,452,580,000 |
Minting facilities in Philadelphia and Denver are tasked with making all U.S. coins for commerce. Last month, the Denver Mint made 763.88 million coins and the Philadelphia Mint made 688.7 million coins for the combined 1,452,580,000 coins.
First Quarter 2022
In first quarter 2022, the Denver Mint struck 2,083,600,000 coins and the Philadelphia Mint made 1,878,940,000 coins. They combine for a quarterly total of 3,962,540,000 coins, which is 23.2% more than the 3,217,760,000 coins minted in the first three months of last year.
This next table lists coin production totals by denomination and by U.S. Mint facility:
YTD 2022 Circulating Coin Production by Denomination
1 ¢ | 5 ¢ | 10 ¢ | 25 ¢ | 50 ¢ | N.A. $1 | Total: | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Denver | 1166M | 204.72M | 404.5M | 305.8M | 1.6M | .98M | 2083.6M |
Philadelphia | 1056.4M | 177.36M | 353M | 289.6M | 1.6M | .98M | 1878.94M |
Total | 2222.4M | 382.08M | 757.5M | 595.4M | 3.2M | 1.96M | 3962.54M |
If the current production pace stretched through to December, the annual mintage for 2022 would top 15.8 billion coins. The U.S. Mint manufactured nearly 14.5 billion coins for circulation in 2021.
2022 Quarter Mintages
Lastly, in addition to the 2022 Native American dollar with its one-year-only design, the U.S. Mint has released the first two issues from their four-year program of American Women Quarters™. Each features a unique design.
2022 Maya Angelou quarters began circulating in early January. (The Mint started selling collectible Maya Angelou quarters in rolls and bags on Feb. 7.) According to U.S. Mint spokesman Michael White, the mintage total for the Maya Angelou quarter is 480 million.
2022 Dr. Sally Ride quarters began circulating toward the end of March. (The Mint started selling collectible Dr. Ride Sally Angelou quarters in rolls and bags on March 22.) White noted that the mintage for the Ride quarter had reached 109.4 million as of April 5.
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