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The West Point Mint – Making History… CollectibleThe West Point Mint, the newest US branch mint, is located on an historic bit of American historic real estate dating from the early days of the Revolution.Historic OverviewWest Point, for nearly everyone, means the United States Military Academy (USMA).Established in 1802, it’s an impressive place – 4,000 cadets on a campus of 25 square miles, supplying one quarter of the Army’s new officers each year. The US Army’s first connection with West Point pre-dates the academy. In 1775, only a month into the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress discussed the need to secure the Hudson River. The Continental Army’s forces were deployed on both sides of the river in some depth. Capture of the Hudson by the British would split the Americans to their great detriment. General Washington correctly identified the heights of West Point as the “key to the continent”. He dispatched Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a senior officer, to assume control of this strategic place. Fortifications were built, and a 50 ton, 500 yard chain was installed -- spanning the river to repel any British attempt to navigate it. They never did. Some years later, Washington proposed that a military school be established on the heights overlooking the Hudson. Critics of the military school idea worried that it would become an elitist institution, creating an aristocratic officer class such as existed in Europe. The military academy was approved when it was made clear that persons from all walks of life could be eligible to attend. Land was purchased for the USMA in 1790. The first class at West Point graduated 10 cadets. Bullion DepositoryDuring the 1930’s the Federal Government felt the need for a silver bullion depository, similar in concept to the gold depository at Fort Knox. With a nearby military detachment, and elaborate security measures – for example, concrete walls three feet thick, machine guns, and barbed wire – West Point filled the billUnofficial MintIn the 1970’s a penny shortage loomed. Coin presses were added at West Point, and millions of additional coins, with no mint mark, were added to the nation’s coinage inventory. There is no way to distinguish these pieces from those of the Philadelphia Mint.And Finally – A US Mint – OfficiallySince 1988, West Point has been an official US Mint – with a mint mark of “W”.The West Point Mint has an important role in present day US Mint retail marketing. It produces all of the modern bullion coins, both gold and silver. All modern gold commemorative coins and some of the silver commemorative pieces are made at the West Point Mint. In 1997 platinum coins were added to the mix. There is no doubt that many new coin collectors have started with products of the W-Mint. The West Point Mint is still a bullion depository – now for gold. All other metals are stocked only in the quantities needed for the coinage programs.
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