THE PHILADELPHIA MINT

In March 1791, Congress passed a resolution asking President George Washington to organize a mint and coinage, but progress was slow at first. In his annual address to Congress of Oct. 25, the president pointedly told the legislators that a written law was needed. The hint was taken and the result was the basic mint law signed by the president on April 2, 1792.

It is of course one thing to pass a law creating a mint but quite another to put everything into practice. Within a matter of days, however, the president had decided on David Rittenhouse, considered the most eminent scientist in America, as the first mint director. Rittenhouse at first declined the honor due to an ongoing state of ill health but did agree to manage affairs until someone else was chosen.

The Mint was to be in Philadelphia because a law of 1790 required that certain federal entities had to be situated in the nation’s capital. This proved to be a problem after 1800 when the capital was moved to Washington. As a result, Congress had to regularly pass special bills mandating that the Mint remain in Philadelphia.

Rittenhouse did as promised but in due course felt that his health was enough improved to accept the position on a formal basis, and he was soon approved by the Senate. His first task was to find an able associate who would superintend