The San Francisco Mint: A Fortress Full of Money That Will Never Be Spent | Bay Curious

[@JacksonHoulihan]

It only says United States Mint in huge letters etched onto it

[@acarnold]

People too busy looking down at their darn phones to look up and see! ;)

[@marshallkrabs3348]

people are something else, it literally says it on the fucking building.

[@olneymaryland77]

Seriously, are we that illiterate? Or people think mints are just for after diner?

[@sfchris]

In all fairness, several of the people she asked sounded like tourists.

[@danieloshea3326]

People are reee-tarrr-ded

[@shnxii17]

"I have no idea what this is" The inscription on the building says United States Mint 😑🤯🤦‍♂️

[@TheMightyAgency]

I think they thought it's a flavor. It's a factory to make the mint concentrate. Ah, so minty.

[@vacciniumaugustifolium1420]

@@TheMightyAgency 😂

[@darktagmaster1861]

I guess that's why they pay so much for property. They're easily duped

[@vision-gc4hy]

lol. I know.

[@jeffw8218]

That’s Leftists for ya.

[@gmc9753]

I hope the building doesn't actually say "United States Mint" on it, and yet so many people have no idea what it is?

[@timbeckman1134]

It does, in fact, say United States Mint on the building in clear view from the sidewalk where everyone being interviewed was standing

[@selinov]

I always wondered what that big building by the water marked “Ferry Building” is. 🤔

[@charlesshreeve319]

I've always wondered what those buildings were that the funny white trucks come out of that bring the stuff that they put in our mailboxes.

[@RTWGraphics]

It's San Francisco. They're just concerned wether or not it's gender neutral.

[@hamaljay]

Welcome to America.

[@wartortle1375]

The Name is on the building!!! Lmao

[@strnvii]

Ikr

[@toordog1753]

The fool asks if they make money at a mint? Lolololol

[@charlesshreeve319]

Welcome to today's public - the Marching Morons.

[@befuddled2010]

@@toordog1753 Probably thought it was a candy factory.

[@stevec7770]

@@charlesshreeve319 yep ignorant fools

[@RckyMtneer]

Those are our future leaders, the young people who don’t know what the building is even with it’s name printed on the side!

[@bigtxbullion]

Nah. Someones gotta lead and they wont be a common consumer walking down the street. We need lots of consumers for this economy to work and the more oblivious the better. 🤑🇺🇲🏛👊

[@kap1526]

You need to understand the video would be way more boring if people knew what the building was. There fore when they asked them what that building was, they only included response from people that had no clue what that building was. Most people that walk around there will know what that is. Otherwise it would literally defeat the purpose of this "educational" video and you could have end it after minute one.

[@DaveLynchJazzGuitar]

God help this country !!!

[@jasonpayne1240]

This was a fantastic video and very accurate with the information presented...cough...cough...I used to work there and there is a whole bunch of stuff with that building that no one ever sees not probably ever will. However, something of interest is that there are 44 coins “galvanos” around the outside of the mint. Each galvano represents a coin that was made in San Francisco at the time the mint was built in about 1935. Another fun fact is the northeast corner of the building points directly to the dome of city hall. Anyways. I hope they open the building up for tours someday. It has beautiful Art Deco designs in the lobby. A true monument to the hardworking folks during the Great Depression💰

[@nunyabiznass4702]

i wanna hear the goods! cough cough 😉

[@tenecaw5253]

Dope..tell me more

[@kconnor4568]

Seriously. You want to know when the mint will start open for tours!!,,! Guess what, you should go to the website and read it . Unless you either you don’t have the internet or you can’t find the website. It’s very easy, just open your computer, click on the browser, write in UNITED STATES MINT, open the link and then ( maybe, but type in San Francisco) you can either go to the website for San Francisco that should be able to click on the website that you want.

[@foodiusmaximus]

when I lived in SF everyone knew what the building was. I only moved 5 years ago after living there for 20 years. I'm pretty sure they just needed to make interesting content. It's more compelling if no one knows what the building is.

[@Josh-ut4wv]

well also the lack of their coins going out for public use doesn't help their cause as the amount of coins you can find in your spare change with the s mint mark is nothing short of a miracle these days.

[@PreciousBoxer]

That's mainstream media for ya. More and more people are banking electronically these days so it probably wouldn't be too difficult to find these individuals.

[@RobertStCyr-pe7ic]

I lived in San Francisco fourty years ago. For a while I lived on Market Street just a couple of blocks away from the building. It surprises me that someone who lives in San Francisco doesn't know that the building is the US Mint. Everybody did when I lived there.

[@deluxeddelirium]

I just went there today! It was very cool. I'm glad you guys made a video of the history!

[@wakeup3581]

I wondered what the building was and then I read it! I must be a god damn genius!!!

[@Redvines69]

Some of my favorite coins in my collection are called "impaired proofs", which means they were for some reason or other removed from proof sets and spent at face value. Mostly quarters, but every now and then I find a dime or half that was from a set.

[@keywellcoinsmafiametals8726]

When I can find some good deals on ebay or at my local coin shop. If I can get impaired proofs close to face value. I buy them to spend! Especially the gold dollars are a lot of fun

[@ShawnTheRazor]

I just found a 1985 proof nickel that was in circulation. It looks absolutely perfect and def stood out.

[@lewisevans4655]

0:36 puberty forgot about this guy

[@dansalamone8217]

Nice job on this, news that’s actually not negative. Good reporting thank you

[@victorialadybug1]

This is a very informative and interesting piece of financial history. Thanks for sharing!

[@markabboud8564]

That’s so sad the newbie people in SF can’t read. The building says what it is. Plus, it’s a historical building here. I went there on a field trip in 1987 from Oakland. Beautiful place. They let each kid stamp their own penny

[@jmoney7289]

There is no way they let you stamp your own penny

[@MichaelOdomwest16thAve]

It literally says US Mint.

[@lindaeasley5606]

The SF mint is considered the premiere US mint. There's official US mint facilities in Denver and Philadelphia , also .All of our coins come from these but the SF mint makes proof coins for collectors as well

[@jmoney7289]

What ya know about west point

[@judymiller8260]

This is one of the most succinct, information all mint videos.

[@Tear777]

Thank you for such a nice program! It is important for young people to learn! I was shocked so many people had no idea.

[@fjb4932]

It's best you don't learn how little they know. And even more how little they care to know. Idiocracy ...

[@jocopowell]

"So do you want to know the short answer to what it is?" "Sure" "Drumroll...It's a U.S. mint." It literally says "UNITED STATES MINT" in huge letters on it.

[@ohd00bley]

...my brother worked there in the late 70's.

[@celtekrider2]

Thats so cool! He worked there right around the 1974 transition ill bet! What did he do there?

[@ohd00bley]

Prairie Bilton - I haven't a clue! You're correct about the timing of him working there, in fact you approximation of the time he worked there is better than mine. He retired from the SSA.

[@davidho9238]

The name is on the building on huge print.

[@darrinsiberia]

that's so millenial... why is the mint next to a "safeway" ... your brain should be thinking of why the safeway is next to the mint!

[@alfredclethen]

The question should be why is a Safeway near the mint

[@mustang8206]

Ok Darrin

[@markbrophy5454]

You should be asking yourself why coins aren't made of gold or silver and why pennies aren't made of copper.

[@stevepettersen3283]

@@markbrophy5454 As you know, the use of those metals would make their value exceed their face value for the business strikes (pocket change). The mints do make gold and silver coinage for bullion and collector needs.

[@3052022]

Mark is referring to how the banksters have stripped your wealth and future

[@johnnyherrera7220]

I knew this was a US Mint since I was a kid. Smh. I guess it's because I was born n raised in the city.

[@Q_Ona6]

Exactly. Me too. They clearly asked the gentrifiers

[@gunslingingbird74]

@@Q_Ona6 Whaaaat?!? A woman with an Australian accent in SF is a gentrifier??? Whodda thunk!

[@Q_Ona6]

@@gunslingingbird74 u obviously want some male attention.. who would've thunk you'd turn to KZbin to find it 🏳️‍🌈

[@djcrazy2685]

knowledge is definitely the key here bc i learned something!!

[@nunyadambusiness3530]

The SF Mint, printing so much money, a home costs over $1 Million in the city.

[@beavacuda]

What's the place that tells you what it is on the front of it? This vid speaks volumes about the folks that still live in SF

[@northerniltree]

They don't taste like mints.

[@pixelpusher2219]

this 1950 s penny sure doesnt taste like mint

[@DallasLL]

Tastes like Safeway

[@annettevega3141]

I worked there from 1984 to 1991. The one on Herman st San Francisco. Started at the mint on 5th and Mission

[@uo9zzzyxwvutsrqp0nmkjihgfe43]

is it easy to get a job here? I wanna work here.

[@annettevega3141]

No not really. Once your in its cool its a federal government job a lot of back round check your dealing with money. You have to have a real clean record

[@caligoldsg]

That was beyond amazing

[@Josh-ew1le]

Very informative, thanks for sharing!

[@michaellittlewood3032]

We went there for school field trips 60's-70's.

[@martybraga4832]

I was going to say the same thing, went on a field trip there in the late 70's. They gave us each a freshly minted penny as a souvenir

[@michaellittlewood3032]

@@martybraga4832 Oh yeah good memory. I managed to keep that penny until just a few years ago. Peace fellow S F. Mint field tripper

[@Roger__Wilco]

I didn't know there was so much demand for commemorative coin sets that a mint with so many employees would be dedicated just to making them!

[@ElEfectivovlogs]

I remember that building I used to deliver to Starbucks in the close shopping center

[@Kenneth_James]

That architecture is on point.

[@jmejnovotney8942]

What is this place? What do they do there? "Secretive governmental thiinnngss"

[@NandiCollector]

classic answer ;)

[@jeffw8218]

BlueAnon in full effect

[@PreciousBoxer]

The final nail in the coffin for the four mints will be when big brother forces everyone to use digital currency.

[@gunslingingbird74]

Half the comments are "How do they not know what the building is? It's written on the side," and the other half are "I know what that building is because I was born and raised here, so I know the secret SF handshake that gives me cool powers like knowing what a building that says what it is on the side is." 🙄

[@jrpcoins]

My favorite mint mark next to the CC but that mint is no longer running even though I think they should resurrect it and strat minting coins there again!

[@andyreznick]

Coupla years late getting here, but I'd like to say Job Well Done!

[@johngraham8893]

Like a New Zealander would know what the building is! (at 0:40)

[@samiam9059]

Great video.... Need to do a video of fort knox presently and show that all the gold was not spent as some have claimed.

[@pastorjerrykliner3162]

Having grown up in Denver...which also has a mint...it's fun to have a mint in your city.

[@gunslingingbird74]

You have a skewed sense of humor of you think having a mint in your city is "fun".

[@pastorjerrykliner3162]

@@gunslingingbird74 it was a regular school field trip when I was a kid. Went there A LOT. Not to mention whenever family from out-of-state came in: had to see the Mint. And then it was a fun way to get into coin-collecting: sorting through pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters looking for the "D," "S," and "P." (I honestly had no idea about the "CC" for Carson City...) As a kid, at least, it was fun.

[@tortuga_t4rslownsteady805]

Being from the Bay Area I’m not surprised people who live in the city have no clue what it is.

[@dinosqautch6941]

Awesome vid

[@baedeckerbaedecker9664]

Does anyone know the name of the piece of music at the end of this video?

[@nolanrueckert8061]

I don't want to get old

[@kelfannumber37774]

“Turns out its a US mint” “Wow, thats pretty wild” Who would’ve known

[@robertsilva8097]

Thank you for the Great video

[@BayAreaCannabisReviews415]

San Francisco is gentrified that’s why they don’t know My dad has been living in San Francisco since the 80s and he knows what this is we live in the Hayes valley area and we are near this building

[@mustang8206]

So you think people don't know what it is because they are rich?

[@eastbaykidd8574]

@@mustang8206 I laugh at noobs who have no idea where China Basin is but blab about hanging around in Soma.

[@humzahj.]

Whoever made this has a great music taste, Turtles Have Short Legs by Can playing in the background

[@AGhostintheHouse]

You can also hear Music for a Found Harmonium at 3:44, now I'm going to look up T.H.S.L by Can!

[@AGhostintheHouse]

I heard that at the beginning of the video and really liked it, glad I found your comment, thank you! I'm a guitar and bass player and a drummer, I'm going to have some fun with Turtles!

[@heyyo9476]

very informative. there’s so much to know about the bay area. thank you.

[@OccidentalonPurpose]

Do you have the name of the song used in this video? It's not in the credits.

[@karenschrock1483]

Hi Ben. That wonderful song you're hearing in the background is titled: SOLACE. It was composed in 1909 by Scott Joplin dubbed at the time as the "King of Ragtime Composers". Joplin was about 40 at the time and unfortunately died 8 years later in 1917. The song became more famous in 1972 when it was featured in the movie: The Sting along with 3 other Joplin songs: The Entertainer, The Easy Winners, and Pineapple Rag. Solace has 4 "Themes". The first 2 themes are in the key of C while the last 2 themes are in the key of F. The part of the song your hearing in this video is theme 4. In the movie The Sting, they play theme 3 and 4. It was because of this song that I started playing piano at all.

[@OccidentalonPurpose]

@@karenschrock1483 Thanks! That's fantastic! I've heard it before over b-roll and always wondered about it. I love the urgent optimism of the sound, it really captures a sense of America at her best. Great fit for early, 20th Century pre-Depression and pre-WWI U.S. and for San Francisco that was rebuilding for a post Gold Rush, industrial and vibrant, multicultural era. Thanks so much for the info. And thanks for all the work you do!

[@mnml_blk]

I lived in SF for the better part of 15 years and everyone always called it "the Mint" there's even a bar named after it on Market Street a few blocks down the hill. It literally says United States Mint right above the windows.

[@victoriaajang1808]

would it be the way we do this or should we do this a little bit at day time

[@pianoplayeh]

I can’t believe there’s that big of a market for collectible coins

[@DP-hy4vh]

I got a few pennies and nickels made before 1974 that have the "S" mint mark. Also have some silver coins with the "S" as well.

[@celtekrider2]

Seriously such a cool video!!!!! I love finding S minted coins, 1974 is the last of the circulated coin production. I just bought the 50th Anniversary Reverse Proof Coin Set!!! Such beautiful coins and so hard to find now! Man i love history! Im obsessed with that building, last time i visited San Francisco and was locked out of my hotel room i parked next to it and slept in my car. Such a cool experience besides the crazy people running around the streets!!

[@Reddestleg]

Who chose the music for this video? I just want to talk to them

[@RealLifeFinance]

Been coin collecting for 4 decades and never knew this

[@crazyoncoffee]

You must be joking? You must either not be from the US or live 2000 miles away from SF

[@CrazyPetez]

The Mint is actually on Duboce Street, not Market St.

[@zuke-ci4vd]

As a 4th generation native San Franciscan I find this video incredibly insulting. Growing up here in The City, I can not remember ANYBODY that did NOT know what this building was. As so many have already stated in the comments, the building has "United States Mint" emblazoned across its facade! I have always thought that KQED was about promoting intelligent conversation, not ridiculously contrived fluff.

[@waltermotoviloff70]

Jesus it hurts to watch everyone say they don’t know when the building says “United States Mint”

[@doombuggywa]

Seriously nobody knew what the big building is that says US Mint on the side of it? Wow even more things to be embarrassed about San Francisco

[@kap1526]

You missed the point lol

[@memphisstef3808]

Also, they probably only showed the people who got it wrong

[@qjones6109]

I always wanted them to paint this building red and white like a mint

[@NandiCollector]

A really interesting video to watch :D

[@hams47]

The San Francisco Mint also mints "Proof" coinage which is basically extra shiny on the background

[@667hodge]

All SF minted coins are proof

[@hams47]

@@667hodge San Francisco has minted coins for awhile, and in terms of history only recently has minted only proof coins

[@667hodge]

@@hams47 they've been minting proofs exclusively since 1975

[@hams47]

@@667hodge thats what I'm saying

[@timothyloyd3802]

Cool thanks

[@StevenTorrey]

Fascinating in that< "I did not know that..." fascinating way!

[@acarnold]

It's Castle Lemongrab!

[@drewconway7135]

“Hey, you know that huge building that has UNITED STATES MINT etched into it in enormous letters and takes up an entire city block? What’s that for?”

[@beardedbandito433]

Clearly whoever made the title of this video has never met a democrat. They’ll have it spent shortly

[@GenXstacker]

Uh...the govt will find a way to spend it. Trust me.

[@summer-west]

The old wheat pennies with the “s” under the date were stamped there

[@alfonsorivera6179]

If anyone cares, the song in this video is from Napoleon dynamite. I also didn’t hear a thing she said after I realized that.

[@tomy.1846]

Very cool! Thanks! :)

[@bigtxbullion]

I want to tour apmex in my hometown. Crazy these things are hiding in plain sight

[@TravelingStacker]

I've bought a lot of bullion from there and asked about a tour since I'm in OK as well. Thats a no go on a tour.

[@bigtxbullion]

@@TravelingStacker thats a bummer 😪

[@Getttte]

Driving by this building everyday

[@JuiceJackNut]

How about the 1979 and 1980 Susan B Anthony dollars that were made in San Francisco?

[@SacagaweaCoin]

Great way to inform the public!

[@Caligulashorse1453]

Thanks sacgawea coin

[@kaynef6637]

It says San Francisco Mint in huge letters on the building , can’t people read in San Francisco ?

[@billmeecham]

The label that all coins have that specifies where they were minted. Except... Not all coins have that "label"

[@sfchris]

I always thought the "S" stood for "behind Safeway", or "next to Sees Candy".

[@jeffw8218]

Why are they using the song from Napoleon Dynamite?

[@appreciativeobserver4732]

Since the coins made in San Francisco are sold for more than they are worth, where does the money go? I have been asking this question for more than 25 years and I have yet to hear an answer that makes sense. Did you find out where the "extra" money goes?

[@appreciativeobserver4732]

@@scotttild Your answer implies that the San Francisco Mint does NOT receive ANY money from the Federal Government to run its operations; that the mint is a "stand alone" operation. Hope you are correct but I doubt it because I expect the operating costs are much more than the amount of money taken in by the mint. But no matter what, I hope the mint continues to operate. They make unique coins that have immeasurable value to anyone and especially to coin dealers and collectors. I have a few S as in San Francisco, CC as in Carson City & O as in New Orleans coins that are priceless to me.

[@basicrockandmorsongs8034]

Ben Franklin or Mr.Franklin to you I suppose, made it to the top of the world, the top of the spire.. And he said What great things we have to say and see about the United States of America, sorry about the plight,.. but yet in his resistance he added, he replied What do we do with all these poor, with all the poor ? And she said let them die and let's eat them ! So lo and behold we are here because we both don't know what to say about them. But they do want to eat, and they both eat pigs. And so who are they ? Americans..,your fellow americans. And so now do you see what it means to be here ? Like the United front.

[@Josh-ut4wv]

The funny thing is that the mint has gone into obscurity due to the fact they dont make money for circulation anymore they along with the one they opened in west point a few years ago make all the proof sets and most of the silver/gold/platinum coins. Though even when the mint still made coins from it they had a lot of issues basically they couldn't produce as much as the Denver and Philadelphia mints making a lot of their coins hard to find key dates for collectors (EX: 1909-s indian head/wheat/VDB, 1908-s, 1931-s, etc)

[@ambesa1]

now i know why we had/have a coin shortage. btw, great story..

[@CoinDoctor1]

A few technical errors, but overall nice video.

[@potatothorn]

yeah i think they should have mentioned whether all coins are polished like that, i doubt they are

[@CoinDoctor1]

@@potatothorn Not to the degree that proof coins are polished.

[@potatothorn]

@@CoinDoctor1 right? these look REally Shiny

[@curtisrandolph1887]

One step further in their lack of knowledge is most people do not know why coins are no longer made out of Silver and Gold but out or worthless base metals.

[@kconnor4568]

Not to troll but I m pretty sure that it was opened earlier. Minting coins, from what I understand, was minting Morgan’s in 1878. It is much more than a museum. It also makes special mint products that are used for special coins and sets. These were made collectively for sets and special coins both of which were highly collectible but, I don’t know what the reason was, but the special coins have fallen out of favor. It could have been the price or the fact that they aren’t that collectible anymore It is a shame, because coins from that mint were highly collectible and in great demand .

[@XxRollTide34xX]

INFINITE GOLD BAR!

[@janetta98]

If you don't know what this building is, then you aren't a San Franciscan. Sry.

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

Glad you said that. I knew what it was and I don't live there (but have visited from Australia)

[@jd3422]

How can anyone *NOT* know what that building is? It says UNITED STATES MINT in huge letters on the south side, facing Market Street.

[@johnchrd]

Napoleon Dynamite music for the win.

[@Robert-xp4ii]

Every time I see or hear about a coin with a specific letter, flaw, etc, I want to go through my change. I don't, but I want to. LOL

[@georgesenda1952]

So if they’re producing on these coins how come we have a coin shortage?

[@Caligulashorse1453]

We don’t it’s just news needed a story caused panic and everyone decided to keep there coins. but it’s really not a big deal anyways

[@Caligulashorse1453]

Except for coin collectors I can’t find any god damn wheat pennies

[@iancrossley6637]

There are giant Dimes on the building 1:08.

[@codemonkey2k5]

Yeah knew it was there, didn't know it was wasting resources on collectables.

[@trasberg2560]

Seems like a huge waste of government resources to me too! And why are we still making the penny? Time to retire those worthless chunks of metal and round up or down like they do in Canada

[@zachgilbert3815]

@@trasberg2560 lol, yeah and do you think every single business in the COUNTRY is gonna round down or round UP? And believe me those extra pennies from every single purchase are gonna start adding up after a while

[@eriks9576]

Your Tax Dollars at Work! Thanks Uncle Gov

[@martinphilip8998]

The old mint survived the 1906 earthquake and fire because it was built on slab of granite 6 feet thick. They figured that would discourage robbers who might tunnel into the facility.