The San Francisco Mint was opened in 1854 to help process precious metals during the California Gold Rush. WIth huge demand increasing the SF Mint had to find a bigger building and in 1874 construction was officially finished of the 2nd location for the US Department of Treasury. Operations at this 2nd location now known as the "Old San Francisco Mint" were so large that at one point in 1906 the building held $300 Million in bullion (value at the time), fully one third of the entire United States gold reserves.
In 1962 the Mint of The United States At San Francisco was officially changed to "Assay Office" to accommodate growing demand from the public to exchange their silver & gold certificates to the true physical metal. The exchange program ran from March 1964 to June 24, 1968.
Truly a piece of American history from a time prior to dropping the gold standard when the US Dollar itself was sound money.
