As money moves digital, Denver Mint still coins a pretty penny
The furnace glows a toasty 1,314 degrees Fahrenheit. The silvery disks inside aren’t meant to melt, just soften, ahead of being stamped. That’s when they turn from a mix of metals into currency – in this case, quarters.
The U.S. Mint at Denver, on average, cranks out 10 million coins a day (roughly $1 million). Along with special collections, this mint in the Colorado capital produces circulating coins used in everyday transactions. Unless those pennies, nickels, and dimes hide in the creases of your couch.
Millions of Americans today, who can. Many have filed their taxes due this week as pixels on screens. At the vanguard of this digitization of dollars is Colorado, with an annual blockchain conference and a governor who openly promotes cryptocurrency. Coloradans can even pay their state taxes that way.
