Collectors Guide to Morgan Silver Dollars - Littleton Coin Company

The San Francisco MintEven an Earthquake Couldn’t Shakethe “Granite Lady”The stately San Francisco Mint,pictured here before the earthquakeof 1906, was known as theGranite Lady. The building wasarchitecturally beautiful andstructurally sound. It was one of thevery few buildings that remainedstanding after the quake took its toll.The California gold rush of 1848caused chaotic conditions as theamount of gold being mined increasedrapidly and in dramatic proportions.Gold was heavy and difficult totransport to the Philadelphia Mint,and encountered many hazardousmoments on its journey. A number ofprivate mints took advantage of thesituation and quickly produced coinsthat circulated in great quantities.In order to take control, the federalgovernment quickly authorized abranch Mint in San Francisco.A small plant was built, andThe aftermath of the quake, one ofthe worst natural disasters inU.S. history, is shown below.operations began in 1854. The tiny Mint was unable to meet the demandsof the West and construction was begun on a new, larger Mint in 1872.Two years later, the new branch Mint was ready. Immediately upon itsopening, the Mint was dubbed the Granite Lady, a tribute to its size andarchitecture. The massive building was one of the most luxurious Mints inthe world, featuring gold and bronze chandeliers and 14 marble fireplaceson the first and second floors. Its massive structure and architecturalstrength were put to the test thirty years later.On April 18, 1906, San Francisco was twisted, broken and burned bythe worst earthquake ever to rock the United States. The Granite Ladysurvived the quake due to its solid construction, but the real threat was theaftermath – fire!14San Francisco“S” mint mark