Coinage Act of 1792

E400

The Coinage Act of 1792 was a foundational United States law that created the national mint system and defined the country’s monetary structure, including its standard units, metal content, and coin denominations.


Statements (52)
Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal statute
monetary law
authorizedCoinDenomination cent
dime
dollar
eagle
half cent
half dime
half dollar
half eagle
quarter dollar
quarter eagle
authorizedCoinMetal copper
gold
silver
country United States of America
created United States Mint
dateOfEnactment 1792-04-02
definedCurrencyUnit United States dollar
definedDollarSilverContent 371.25 grains of pure silver
416 grains of standard silver
definedEagleGoldContent 247.5 grains of pure gold
270 grains of standard gold
definedGoldSilverRatio 15:1
definedMetalStandard gold
silver
definedMonetarySystem bimetallic standard
definedSubunit cent
dime
eagle
mill
establishedInstitution United States Mint
establishedOffice Assayer
Chief Coiner
Director of the Mint
Engraver
Treasurer of the Mint
field monetary policy
numismatics
historicalSignificance foundational statute of the U.S. monetary system
legislativeBody United States Congress
locationOfMintEstablished Philadelphia
penaltyProvision death penalty for debasing coins
providedFor free coinage of gold and silver
replacedBy Coinage Act of 1834
requiredDesignElement United States of America
representation of Liberty
word "Liberty"
year of coinage
requiredMotto Liberty
signedBy George Washington
yearOfEnactment 1792


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