The pace of minting U.S. coins for circulation slowed for a third straight year, final 2022 production figures from the United States Mint show.
U.S. minting facilities shipped just over 13.6 billion coins to Federal Reserve Banks for circulation release during the calendar year, marking drops of 6% from the nearly 14.5 billion coins struck in 2021 and 7.8% from the more than 14.7 billion coins made in 2020 when production ramped up again to alleviate coin circulation issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here is a summary of U.S. coin production totals in 2022 compared to those from 2021:
US Mint Annual Coin Production (2022 vs 2021)
| Year 2021 | Year 2022 | 2022 Unit Gain / Loss | 2022 % Gain / Loss | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cents | 7,908,620,000 | 6,359,600,000 | -1,549,020,000 | -19.6% |
| Nickels | 1,570,780,000 | 1,547,520,000 | -23,260,000 | -1.5% |
| Dimes | 2,830,250,000 | 3,134,000,000 | 303,750,000 | 10.7% |
| Quarters | 2,168,200,000 | 2,567,600,000 | 399,400,000 | 18.4% |
| Half Dollars | 13,100,000 | 9,700,000 | -3,400,000 | -26.0% |
| Native American $1 | 2,520,000 | 1,960,000 | -560,000 | -22.2% |
| Total | 14,493,470,000 | 13,620,380,000 | -873,090,000 | -6.0% |
The U.S. Mint’s main mission is to manufacture coins based on the nation’s demand and then transport them to Federal Reserve Banks and their coin terminals for distribution into circulation.
Minting facilities in Philadelphia and Denver are tasked with manufacturing all U.S. coins for commerce. In 2022, the Philadelphia Mint produced 6,730,500,000 coins while the Denver Mint made 6,889,880,000 coins.
6.3 Billion Cents in 2022
Of note, 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 6.3 billion cents struck last year represents 46.7% of the combined production total for 2022. While a lot, this is well lower than in past years. For example, in 2021, the Mint manufactured over 7.9 billion cents for 54.6% of all coins minted for circulation.
Mintages of Native American $1 Coins & Kennedy Half Dollars
Attesting to their lower mintage totals as compared to other coins, Native American dollars are no longer ordered by the Federal Reserve for circulation, but they are still made in circulating quality for coin collector products. The same is true, or was until 2021 and 2022, for Kennedy half-dollars.
Typically, in January, the U.S. Mint strikes both denominations to the expected amounts needed for the entire year. That remained the case for Native American dollars but not for Kennedy halves, which saw their mintages increase in several months last year (January, May and June) and in 2021 (February, March, April, May and August).
Published mintages of 2022 Native American dollars show 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.
In May, mintages for the 2022 Kennedy half-dollar increased for the second time last year, posting a combined increase of 3.6 million to more than double the 3.2 million made in January. They climbed again in June by 2.9 million. Unchanged since, 2022 half dollar mintages ended at 4.9 million from Denver and 4.8 million from Philadelphia for a total of 9.7 million. In 2021, the half dollar mintages closed with a mix of 7.7 million from Denver and 5.4 million from Philadelphia for a combined 13.1 million.
First America Women Quarter Mintages
2022 was the inaugural year for the U.S. Mint’s four-year series of quarters celebrating the contributions of notable women who have shaped American history.
Honorees for the year include Maya Angelou, Dr. Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, Nina Otero-Warren and Anna May Wong. Each features a unique design with:
- the 2022 Maya Angelou quarter which began circulating in early January. (The Mint started selling collectible Maya Angelou quarters in rolls and bags on Feb. 7.)
- the 2022 Dr. Sally Ride quarter which started circulating toward the end of March. (The Mint started selling collectible Dr. Ride Sally Angelou quarters in rolls and bags on March 22.)
- the 2022 Wilma Mankiller quarter which began circulating in early June. (The Mint started selling collectible Mankiller quarters in rolls and bags on June 14.)
- the 2022 Nina Otero-Warren quarter which started circulating mid-August. (The Mint started selling collectible Nina Otero-Warren quarters in rolls and bags on Aug 16.)
- the 2022 Anna May Wong quarter which started circulating Oct. 24. (The Mint started selling collectible Anna May Wong quarters in rolls and bags on Oct. 25.)
For the first time, Mint data revealed mintages for the Anna May Wong quarter. They are the second lowest in the series to date.
This next table shows 2022 circulating coin mintages by production facility, denomination, and design.
2022 Circulating Coin Production by Design
| Denver | Philadelphia | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Cent | 3,230,400,000 | 3,129,200,000 | 6,359,600,000 |
| Jefferson Nickel | 777,600,000 | 769,920,000 | 1,547,520,000 |
| Roosevelt Dime | 1,583,000,000 | 1,551,000,000 | 3,134,000,000 |
| Maya Angelou Quarter | 258,200,000 | 237,600,000 | 495,800,000 |
| Dr. Sally Ride Quarter | 278,000,000 | 275,200,000 | 553,200,000 |
| Wilma Mankiller Quarter | 296,800,000 | 310,000,000 | 606,800,000 |
| Nina Otero-Warren Quarter | 219,200,000 | 225,000,000 | 444,200,000 |
| Anna May Wong Quarter | 240,800,000 | 226,800,000 | 467,600,000 |
| Kennedy Half-Dollar | 4,900,000 | 4,800,000 | 9,700,000 |
| Native American $1 Coin | 980,000 | 980,000 | 1,960,000 |
| Total | 6,889,880,000 | 6,730,500,000 | 13,620,380,000 |
Coin Production in December 2021
Normally, December is a slower production month as the U.S. Mint adjusts their tooling for the upcoming year’s coins. That has not really been the case in the last three Decembers with amounts of 846.5 million coins most recently, 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 2021 to December 2022 Circulating Coin Production
| Month | Mintages | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| December 2022 | 846.50 M | 13 |
| November 2022 | 906.00 M | 12 |
| October 2022 | 1,177.14 M | 6 |
| September 2022 | 1,003.72 M | 9 |
| August 2022 | 948.06 M | 11 |
| July 2022 | 1,100.62 M | 8 |
| June 2022 | 1,141.60 M | 7 |
| May 2022 | 1,255.32 M | 4 |
| April 2022 | 1,278.88 M | 2 |
| March 2022 | 1,452.58 M | 1 |
| February 2022 | 1,260.12 M | 3 |
| January 2022 | 1,249.84 M | 5 |
| December 2021 | 953.37 M | 10 |
This last table shows productions totals by denomination for December:
US Mint Circulating Coin Production in December 2022
| Denomination | Denver | Philadelphia | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Cents | 182,000,000 | 114,000,000 | 296,000,000 |
| Jefferson Nickels | 45,360,000 | 55,440,000 | 100,800,000 |
| Roosevelt Dimes | 123,500,000 | 139,000,000 | 262,500,000 |
| Quarters | 100,200,000 | 87,000,000 | 187,200,000 |
| Kennedy Half Dollars | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Native American $1s | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 451,060,000 | 395,440,000 | 846,500,000 |
And yet I hear there are still coin shortages in parts of the country.
Considering how many millions of each denomination the Mint produced and sent over to the Federal Reserve for distribution to banks nationwide makes one wonder where all those coins went. It would be interesting to determine exactly where the shortages are with the idea that knowledge would help pin down what precisely the problem is.
Still a shortage in my area- I can only geta few rolls at a time from my bank, and my local 7-Eleven is appreciative of buying them from me after I search through them- as their bank cannot supply the number of rolls that they need on a weekly basis. So far, I have found a number of really good uncirculated AWQ quarters in rolls- all releases up to the Anna May Wong one.
I can’t get any from my bank no matter how many times I ask. The last time I made an inquiry they brought out a tray of shabby-looking loose old quarters.
Native American Dollar design for 2024.
It boggles the mind to realize that the people who owned every square inch of this country thousands of years prior to the arrival of the first White Europeans had to wait almost five centuries before they were begrudgingly granted the status of legitimate inhabitants.
That being said, I do like the proposed imagery for that coin; it’s very elegant.
I like that many Native Americans are making their own coins now, as sovereign nations.
I just recently noticed that, too. I had no idea they were minting their own coinage until just a few weeks ago. I assume someone else (maybe even the US Mint) is actually minting the coins for them. It would be cool if they had their own Mint. Imagine if you had to exchange your dollars for Native American coinage when you spend money at their casinos or shops. It would really make it feel like they are a sovereign nation. We say they are a sovereign nation but we sure do still exert a lot of control over their… Read more »
That’s really cool, Major D. I come across images of these every once in a while but have never given any real thought to their implications. Thanks.
I didn’t realize how many varieties of these coins there are for the different nations, even in the area where I live. Maybe I should commission a coin for the Nation of Me?
I would say, why not? It has long been said “No man is an island” but that statement makes no mention of being a one man country. Perhaps you could even arrange to have your coins made of “Antonium”.
Proposed Innovation Dollar designs for 2024.
Being a real space travel enthusiast I can’t wait to get my hands on that Saturn V coin from Alabama, depending of course on whether the Mint goes ahead with that motif.
That’s one small step for a man. One giant leap for mankind.
Ah ha, you remembered the usually missing “a”. Kudos, my friend!
Man (pun intended), I really hope that the manned moon missions/ space program is profiled on one of these state AI coins. Surely, it’s got to make the list of the top 50 U.S. innovations.
I already have a beautiful bronze Mint medal in that regard, Major D, but I certainly wouldn’t mind adding a silver coin honoring the same.
I have a 1975 dime no mint mark it has kept its dark shine for years I found it when I was little in 1976 I kept it for good luck along with a 1968 dime
Dimes minted in Philadelphia didn’t have mint marks until 1980. You can google it, to see what the value is. Same with the 1968 dime.
I am collecting a lot of coins from any willing to give them for a project. All before the year 2000. I’ve got so many coins now in pikes by year and mint add ah in order with no years missing since 1960 to 1999 save buf one. For my whole life, I’ve always looked for coins from my year of birth and I’ve never found a single one. After a year of not finding one, i began to get obsessed with it. But I’ve found every year of all my family members from my dad61 mom62 sister82 and brother84,… Read more »
Izeah quarles,
1976 is the year my son was born, so that is a good luck year for me also. 1968 is the year I met my first wife; that turned out to be an exceptionally bad luck year for me.
Kaiser, you’re not alone with regards to 1968. From the National Archives: 1968: A Year of Turmoil and Change 1968 was a turning point in U.S. history, a year of triumphs and tragedies, social and political upheavals, that forever changed our country. In the air, America reached new heights with NASA’s Apollo 8 orbiting the moon and Boeing’s 747 jumbo jet’s first flight. However, all was not well on the ground: the country lost a Navy intelligence ship (USS Pueblo) and two proponents of peace—Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy. Other events that made history that year include the Vietnam War’s Tet Offensive,… Read more »
… and The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band wins Album of the Year (the first rock LP to receive the award)
Good Sir Rich and Major D,
In the summer before everything went south that infamous year I spent many a late night (opening hours 11 PM until 3 AM) at this students only club in a former WWII bomb shelter built into the side of a mountain in Heidelberg, Germany, listening to the Sergeant Pepper album over and over again. Good times before the less so.
Oops, forgot the picture…
And here’s one of the oddly somewhat off-putting front door…
The Cavern
Indeed, the club in their home town of Liverpool where the Beatles could regularly be seen live rather than just heard from the speakers on the walls like they were at Heidelberg’s Club 54.
By chance, the interior of the Cavern resembled that of Cave 54.
Wow, Major D, I guess I wasn’t alone in considering that anything but a banner year. Honestly, I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse about it.
And don’t forget, Richard Nixon was elected that year. “I am not a crook.”
Aw sheesh, Antonio, why pile on the miseries of that year? 😉
To think all this occurred right after the 1967 “Summer of Love.”
I remember that was the year the anti war demonstrations started to take place. Things really began to change in ’68. I still remember the assassinations of MLK and Bobbie Kennedy. It was a sad time. What was the country headed to? We survived and even survived The Donald and the January 6th fiasco. We’ll survive the rise and fall of precious metal prices as well.
I can’t forget what happened in 1968 when Spiro Agnew came to town. In the midst of the tumult that resulted from the police attacking the ensuing Anti-Agnew rally is where I met my now ex-wife. That was clearly a doubly dark day for yours truly.
Spiro Agnew? Anti-Agnew rally? Where I met my now ex-wife? Truly a dark day.
That’s putting it mildly, my friend, but you’re right on the money.
pleeeeeeeeeeeeze stop making cents and make quarters instead. if we are going to have a coin shortage, better it be short cents than quarters.
If only, if only, and I obviously agree with you completely.
We could be like Canada, five cents, 10 cents, 25 cents and polymer notes. Ah but Canada if more liberal and progressive than the U.S. is.
If Canada were truly progressive it would have circulating 50 cent pieces. 😉
Circulating coins will be a relic of the past within the next generation if not sooner- like phone books, phone booths and land lines (sure, there might be some still in use, but the vast population will have moved beyond it). Not unlike these Chuck E Cheese tokens in my junk drawer.
I just saw an article where Bill Gates is ‘very optimistic’ about the future: ‘Better to be born 20 years from now…than any time in the past’ Myself, I’d prefer to go back to 1985! Bowling For Soup – 1985 – YouTube
Thanks Major D, needed to watch that. So agree with you.
What a great video, Major D. Thanks for introducing me to BFS!
I can already see the makings of a whole new field of gathering and study for professionals and amateurs alike: numismatic archeology.
And speaking of which, here we go…