- May 19
- U.S. Congressman Silvio Conte of Massachusetts introduces legislation intended to prohibit silver dollar production. [1.78]
- May 21
- US Senator Alan Bible of Nevada introduces bill S. 2012 in the Senate that would give the Treasury Secretary the power to dictate what coins could be traded at a premium. It would also prohibit exportation of US coins, prohibit the melting of silver coins by unauthorized persons, outlaw unreasonable hoarding of coins, and outlaw buying or selling non-rare coins at more than face value. [1.122] [34.84] [81.4,43]
- May 24
- At a Congressional House Subcommittee on the Committee on Appropriations hearing, U.S. Mint Director Eva B. Adams says the silver dollar coins being struck are trial pieces, and that legislative approval had not yet been given for production of coins for official release. [1.78]
- President Lyndon Johnson orders a halt to striking of silver dollars. [250.14]
- The Denver Mint ceases striking 1964-dated Peace dollars, with a total of 316,076 trial strikes. [303.60] [432.64]
- May 25
- U.S. Treasury officials announce that dollar coin production had been suspended. [1.78] [330.56]
- U.S. Mint Director Eva Adams orders the destruction of all recently-struck 1964-dated silver dollar coins. [1.78]
- May 26
- (to May 28) The U.S. Mint facility in Denver Colorado melts all of the 1964-dated silver dollar trial pieces. [1.78] [37.52]
- May 28
- All of the working dies (50 obverses and six reverses) for the 1964 Peace dollar coin are mutilated. [1.78]
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- June 3
- US President Lyndon Johnson proposes to Congress to authorize replacing silver in circulation coins with cheaper base metals. [1.119]
- July 15
- The US House of Representatives passes the Coinage Act of 1965. [1.126]
- July
- General Motors Corp. demonstrates a coin roller press to US Treasury officials. The press is capable of manufacturing 10,000 coins per minute. A $500,000 contract is awarded to General Motors to build a prototype for Mint testing in 1966. [158.92]
- The Philadelphia Mint ceases striking silver quarter dollars. [209.40]
- July 23
- US President Lyndon Johnson signs into law the Coinage Act of 1965. Some provisions:
- authorizes re-opening the San Francisco facility as a coinage production facility,
- the composition of the dime and quarter dollar are changed from 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper to 91.67 percent copper and 8.33 percent nickel (two outer layers of 75 percent copper, bonded to core of pure copper),
- the composition of the half dollar is changed from 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper to 40 percent silver and 60 percent copper (two outer layers of 80 percent silver, bonded to a core of 21.5 percent silver),
- allows striking of 1964-dated and 1965-dated coins into 1966,
- suspends production of any silver dollar coins for five years,
- gives Secretary of the Treasury the power to prohibit melting of silver coins,
- makes legal tender the half cent coins struck since 1793,
- suspends use of mint marks on coinage for five years.
[1.118,128] [42.62] [58.20] [69.24] [74.40] [78.22] [117.38] [163.51] [168.93] [209.41] [439.756]
- August 3
- U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro is ordered to destroy 40 pairs of partially-completed Peace design dollar dies at the Philadelphia Mint. [1.78]
- August 23
- The Philadelphia Mint begins production of clad quarter dollar coins. [1.120] [102.34] [168.93]
- September 1
- The San Francisco Assay Office facility resumes production of circulating coins (cent, 5-cent), dated 1964 and with no mint mark. Coins had last been struck for circulation in San Francisco in 1955. [1.118] [78.22] [313.32]
- September 17
- Groundbreaking ceremonies are held for construction of a new mint building in Philadelphia. [1.118]
- November 1
- The US Mint releases copper-nickel clad 1965-dated quarter dollar coins to circulation. [1.128] [209.40]
- November
- The Denver Mint ceases striking silver quarter dollars. [209.40]
- December
- The US Mint begins striking copper-nickel clad dimes for circulation. [1.128] [168.93] [209.40]
- December 29
- The US Mint begins striking 1-cent and 5-cent coins with 1965 date. [80.79] [168.93]
- December 30
- The Denver Mint begins striking silver-copper-nickel clad 1965-dated half dollar coins for circulation. [1.128] [149.81] [168.93] [209.40] [337.52]
1966
- January
- The San Francisco Assay Office ceases production of 90 percent silver quarters dated 1964. [163.50] [168.93] [209.40]
- February
- The Demver Mint ceases production of 90 percent silver dimes dated 1964. [163.50] [168.93] [209.40]
- March 8
- The US Mint releases first copper-nickel clad 1965-dated dimes, and silver-copper-nickel clad half dollar coins into circulation. [1.128] [187.22] [291.36] (March 30 [96.38] [350.90])
- April
- The Philadelphia Mint ceases production of 90 percent silver half dollars dated 1964. [163.50] [168.93] [209.40]
- July 12
- US Treasury announces it will buy mutilated silver coins at silver price. [6]
- July 31
- Last date of striking 1965-dated coins by the US Mint. [1.128] [168.93]
- August 1
- All three US mints resume striking coins with current year. [485.18]
- August 2
- The US Mint begins production of 1966-dated silver clad half dollar coins. [403.360]
- August 12
- The General Services Administration turns the New Orleans Mint over to the state of Louisiana. [121.70]
1967
- January 1
- The US Mint resumes the regular practice of striking coins bearing only the calendar date of striking. [1.128] [168.93]
- May 18
- US Treasury ceases selling silver at $1.2020 per ounce, and bans the private melting or export of US silver coins. (The ban is lifted on April 11, 1969.) [1.B20] [49.1] [163.51] [195.77] [205.12,54] [307.64] (May 19 [201.36])
- June 24
- US Congress passes an Act to Authorize Adjustments of Outstanding Silver Certificates and Other Purposes. This allows the Treasury to write off amounts of silver certificates destroyed and remaining in collectors hands, and to cease redemptions in silver one year from adoption of the act. [1.190]
- Congress approves legislation restoring mint marks to coins. [113.40] [348.92] [367.38]
- July 14
- US Treasury begins removing silver coins from circulation from bags of mixed coins coming into Federal Reserve banks, and discontinues fixed price of silver at $1.29 per ounce. [49.1] [163.51]
- August
- Aubrey and Adeline Bebee acquire a 1913 Liberty Head nickel at the Paramount International Coin Corporation auction at the ANA convention for US$46,000, a world record for a single coin at auction. [66.72]
- October 5
- Five masked men rob Willis H. du Pont at gunpoint at his house in Cocoanut Grove, Florida. They take $1.5 million in coins, including a 1787 Brasher doubloon, the Linderman specimen of the US 1804 Type III Proof silver dollar, the Davis specimen of the 1866 no motto dollar, an 1866 no motto quarter dollar, an 1866 no motto half dollar, an 1827 quarter dollar, and an 1875 $3. [244.1] [404.505]
1968
- January 4
- As the Denver Mint resumes striking coins for circulation with the "D" mint mark, the Mint announces the restoration of mint marks, the uniform placement of mint marks on the obverse of all coins, and that Proof coins would be produced at the San Francisco facility. [338.40] [348.92] (January 2 [80.79])
- March 15
- The Bureau of the Mint halts buying and selling gold. [6] [93.38]
- March 18
- US Congress repeals requirement for a gold reserve. [6]
- March 20
- President Lyndon Johnson signs legislation removing gold backing from US currency. [349.48]
- May 4
- Robert Wallace, assistant secretary of the US Treasury, announces to the Metropolitan New York Numismatic Convention in New York City "The possibility of ever permitting them [silver coin hoarders and smelters] to reap windfall profits of millions of dollars at the expense of taxpayers will, to say the least, not be very popular". [49.10]
- June 13
- The Smithsonian Institution receives its single largest donation of 6125 US gold coins from the Josiah K. Lilly estate, in exchange for a Congress-approved $5.5 million tax write-off for the estate. [429.14]
- June 24
- Last day of redeeming US silver certificates for silver, in any form. [165.12] [175.12] [216.88] [304.50] (June 28 [1.190])
- September 19
- Cornerstone laying ceremony is held for construction of the fourth Philadelphia Mint building. [109.38]
- December 5
- Assistant Treasury Secretary announces the Joint Commission on the Coinage recommends sale of 2.9 million silver dollars of the Treasury at minimum fixed prices. [205.36]
1969
- April 11
- US Treasury lifts the ban on private melting of US silver coins. [1.B20] [97.32] [195.77] [356.36] (May 12 [49.3] [163.51])
- April 26
- US ownership of pre-1934 gold coins no longer requires a license from the Treasury Department. [23.36] [99.36]
- (month unknown)
- The US Mint creates a new hub for the obverse of the Lincoln cent. [475.16]
- Stack's auctions an 1883 Proof double eagle for $9,200. [162.102]
- August 14
- The new fourth Philadelphia Mint at the corner of Fifth and Arch streets opens. [1.118] [46.68] [121.70] [376.44]
- August
- At the Philadelphia Mint, a prototype roller coin press from General Motors is demonstrated, producing 10,000 1969 Lincoln Head cents in a few minutes. (The press is found to be uneconomical due to die wear and lengthy time for replacement of dies.) [158.96]
- November 5
- US House of Representatives passes an update to the Coinage Act of 1965, allowing production of Eisenhower dollar coins, copper-nickel clad dollars for circulation, and silver clad for sale to collectors. [362.34,38]
1970
- February 19
- U.S. Mint Director Mary Brooks instructs Philadelphia Mint Superintendent Nicholas G. Thornton to produce ten trial strikes of the Peace dollar design on 40 percent silver planchets. [1.79] [183.58]
- (month unknown)
- (Spring) Two 1964-dated Peace silver dollars are returned from U.S. Mint headquarters in Washington to the Philadelphia Mint, where they are melted. [1.78]
- September 16
- US Senate passes an update to the Coinage Act of 1965, allowing production of Eisenhower dollar coin. [362.34]
- September 23
- Thomas Wolfe, director of the Office of Domestic Gold and Silver Operations, announces to the American Metal Market Forum in New York City that Treasury withdrew and melted 200 million ounces of silver dimes and quarters from circulation since July 1967. [49.9]
- October
- Stack's auctions the Massachusetts Historical Society's 1804 silver dollar (Mickley specimen, Class I), for US$77,500. [224.25] [459.44]
- The US Mint strikes 150 million silver dollars dated 1971. [362.38]
- (month unknown)
- (end of year) The US Mint retires the roller press used for the Lincoln cent, due to frequent die failure idling all the others. [475.16]
- December 31
- US President Richard Nixon signs the One Bank Holding Company Amendments Act of 1970 legislation into law, creating the circulating copper-nickel Eisenhower dollar coin, up to 150 million silver-clad dollar coins, removing silver from circulating Kennedy half dollars, and authorizing sale of Carson City silver dollars. [50.15] [58.20] [121.18] [161.44] [163.40] [168.94] [205.36]
1971
- January 25
- The Philadelphia Mint strikes two Eisenhower dollar essays, then destroys them. [50.15] [257.20] [341.92]
- March 31
- The US Mint begins regular production of Eisenhower silver-copper dollars. [50.15] (January 2 [485.111])
- April 19
- Senator Frank Church introduces a bill providing for two or more Bicentennial coins. [4.60] [98.34]
- August 15
- US President Richard Nixon's administration refuses to settle foreign debts in gold at $35 per ounce, dropping the gold standard, and allowing the dollar to float in foreign exchanges. [1] [12.5] [13]
- November 1
- The US Mint releases Eisenhower copper-nickel dollar coins to circulation. [6] [9.24] [217.76] (November 10 [50.15])
1972
- March 23
- Presidential decree transfers the 1906-built San Francisco Mint building to the US Mint. [238.42]
- March 24
- The old San Francisco Mint is declared a historic landmark. [192.32]
- May
- The US Mint begins sales of 1972 Eisenhower dollar coins. [362.40]
- June 15
- The ANA Certification Service opens for business, offering to certify the authenticity of submitted coins. [50.68]
- (month unknown)
- The ANA convention is held in New Orleans, Louisiana. World Wide Coin Investors buys a Proof 1894-S dime for $50,000 from dealers Abner Kreisberg and Jerry Cohen. [303.65]
- October 3
- World Wide Coin Investments buys the Fred Olsen specimen of the 1913 Liberty Head nickel for $100,000 from Edwin Hydeman. [146.22] [218.36]
- October 31
- The General Services Administration begins selling government-held Morgan silver dollars to the public, for fixed prices: $30 (lusterous), toned, and $15 (circulated). [50.213] [127.68] [159.42] [173.33] [205.36] [222.3]
1973
- January 18
- Senator Mark Hatfield introduces a bill calling for Bicentennial gold coin. [340.34]
- January 31
- Close of the first GSA silver coin auction. 700,000 coins were sold at $30 each for 1882-84 CC. [226.50]
- March 5
- The US Treasury calls for new designs for the half dollar and the dollar for the 1976 American bicentennial. [50.92]
- March 6
- Representative Wright Patman of Texas introduces legislation proposing commemorative circulating half-dollar and dollar coinage for the 1976 American bicentennial. [50.92]
- March 8
- Legislation is introduced in the Senate proposing commemorative circulating half-dollar and dollar coinage for the 1976 American bicentennial. [50.92]
- April 30
- The General Services Administration begins the second round of selling government-held Morgan silver dollars to the public, for fixed prices: $30 each for 1882-84 CC, $30 for 1890-91 CC, $15 for 1878-CC, $15 for mixed dates circulated CC, $5 for mixed uncirculated Morgan dollars, $3 for mixed circulated Morgan dollars. [226.50] (June [50.213])
- May
- US Treasury Department officials rule that it is illegal to own a 1964-D Peace dollar trial, struck in 1965. [432.1]
- May 31
- Legislation is introduced proposing changes to all six circulating coins for the 1976 American bicentennial. [50.92]
- June 17
- The US Mint begins sales of miniature bags of 1-cent and 5-cent coins, from each of the three mints, in miniature Federal Reserve bags. Issue price is $2 for 5 bags. [180.52]
- October 14
- The Old San Francisco Mint numismatic museum is dedicated. [140.36]
- October
- Superior Stamp and Coin Company of Los Angeles sells at auction an uncirculated 1794 silver dollar for $100,000. [166.34]
- The General Services Administration begins the third round of selling government-held Morgan silver dollars to the public, for fixed prices. [50.213]
- October 18
- US President Richard Nixon signs the Bicentennial Coinage Act into law as Public Law 93-127, providing for commemorative quarter dollar, half dollar, and dollar coins. The coins can be issued between July 4, 1775 and January 1, 1977, bearing the dual date "1776-1976". [6] [50.18,93] [249.66] [387.1553] (October 17 [140.36]) (October 31 [168.94])
- October 23
- Treasury Department announces design competition for US Bicentennial coins. [286.44]
- November
- Kagin's conducts the "Sale of the 70's" coin auction. An 1894-S Proof dime sells for $52,000. [220.3]
- November 29
- US President Richard Nixon signs the Hobby Protection Act, regulating the production of numismatic replicas to be marked with the word "COPY". The Act is set to take effect March 10, 1974. [50.54] [71.28] [134.38] [147.34]
- December 7
- The Bureau of the Mint discloses it has been conducting tests of aluminum alloy cents. The US Treasury requests authority to coin aluminum cents. [72.107] [135.42] (December 8 [334.44] [420.40])
- December 11
- TV show Hawaii Five-O airs, entitled "The $100,000 Nickel", with appearance of the Olsen specimen of the US 1913 Liberty Head 5-cent coin. [146.1] [257.1]
- December 14
- The design competition for the 1976 bicentennial coins closes. [76.36]
- December
- Legislation is introduced in Congress to authorize the Treasury Secretary to coin Lincoln cents of an aluminum alloy. [50.74]
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