Denver Mint Intro
The Denver Mint was
established on April 26, 1862 when Congress approved the purchase of the Clark,
Gruber and Company in Denver, Colorado. Clark, Gruber and Company was a private
mint that had produced gold coins in 1860 and 1861 during the Pikes Peak gold
rush. The United States Mint Denver became a mint in name only; it
operated exclusively as a Federal Assay Office for the next forty-four years
and it was not until 1906 that the United States Mint Denver finally struck
coins in the building pictured above that was constructed in 1904.
Opening as a United
States Assay Office, early operations were limited to processing gold nuggets
through melting, assaying and casting gold ingots. According to the now
historical website, https://goldbarsworldwide.com/ countless United States Denver Mint gold
ingots remain in United States Treasury deep storage to this day. Despite the
number of gold ingots, there is only one silver ingot known to have been
produced at the United States Mint Denver.
Long before I was able
to acquire it through private placement from Kagin’s Inc., I had heard stories
about it from Fred Holabird and Tom Platt. Never having seen a photo and only
being told of its existence, I was beyond ecstatic to hear from Don Kagin and
David McCarthy when Kagin’s Incorporated acquired it. A special thanks to
Kagin's Incorporated for the consideration to have this ingot placed in the
United States Government Silver Ingot Collection of Ken Conaway.
Since my acquisition, I
have discovered that this ingot was first owned by Dr. Philip W. Whiteley from
Denver where it was confirmed by him to be the only Denver Mint silver ingot
privately held. From Dr. Whiteley, the Mint Of The United States Denver silver
ingot was sold to Colonel Clarence Criswell where it was held until the 1984 ANA
Convention Auction by Kurt R. Kruger in Detroit, Michigan.
The one and only Mint Of
The United States Denver silver ingot is pictured below; no serial number,11.64
ozs 999 3/4 Fine, ex- Dr. Philip W. Whiteley collection, ex- Colonel Clarence
Criswell collection. The hallmark is identical to those found on Mint Of The
United States Denver gold ingots dated between 1948 and 1954.
SILVER INGOTS