Press feted (not that press)

The Nevada State Museum, located in the building that once held the Carson City branch of the United States Mint, is marking the 150th anniversary of the coin press used by the workforce of the branch to make coins bearing the CC mint mark. It was one of three coin presses used at the branch at the height of operations.

The press was manufactured in by 1868 from Philadelphia manufacturers Morgan and Orr. It arrived in Carson City in December of that year, but the mint did not begin operating for a year, until Jan. 6, 1870. The press was used there until 1893, then moved to the Philadelphia branch from 1899-1945, followed by San Francisco from 1945-55. It was returned to the Nevada State Museum on Feb. 24, 1958 after being rescued from being sold for scrap by the San Francisco branch.

During a mid-1960s coin shortage, it was loaned back to the mint at the request of U.S. Mint Director Eva Adams of Nevada, but, in 1966, Denver Mint superintendent Fern Miller said that it was used mostly to stamp pennies and had broken down.

The press, now called Coin Press No. 1, is used regularly to stamp commemorative coins.

The museum will hold a Coin Press Arrival Party on Saturday, Dec. 15, at 10 a.m. at the museum. Museum volunteers that day will be dressed in 1868 fashions. Other commemorations will be held leading up to the January 2020 anniversary of its being put into operation.