Volunteer Ken Hopple will operate the historic Coin Press No. 1 from the U.S. Mint at the Nevada State Museum's National Coin Week celebration April 25-26.
With the theme “Celebrating Civic Service,” Nevada State Museum and the Reno Coin Club will join coin collectors from across the United States the for the 91st annual National Coin Week this week. The museum, which is site of the original U.S. mint in Carson City, will hold celebrations from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Placed in service Feb. 11, 1870, Historic Coin Press No. 1 still operates for special occasions and will mint medallions from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. both days. Two Nevada Sesquicentennial medallion designs were minted on the coin press since October, and two more are planned.
The coin press is operated and maintained by museum volunteer Ken Hopple of Reno for the Nevada State Museum. Under his supervision, the press mints on the last Friday of the month. The same press struck the first coin in 1870, bearing the soon-to-be-famous CC mintmark, a Seated Liberty dollar. For nearly a quarter of a century it was used to strike most of the larger-denomination pieces produced from 1870-85 and again from 1889-93.
The national event commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy half-dollar, according to David Elliott, president of the Reno Coin Club. New U.S. coins will be available at face value or cost and the group will hold the coin exchange. The coin club has a series of programs to be offered both days. The museum will mint a Reno Coin Club 30th anniversary commemorative medallion in .999 fine silver Friday. The coin club medallions can be purchased at the press for $65 each.
Raffle tickets for the August 2014 Carson City Mint Coin Show and Fair will be sold for the grand prize drawing at 3 p.m. Aug. 23. Winners need not be present to win. Raffle tickets are available for $1 each or $5 for six at the museum admissions desk. For raffle ticket mail orders, send an email to dstevenson@nevadaculture.org or call Deborah at 775-687-4810, ext. 237.
For more information, call 775-687-4810, ext. 239, send an email to rnylen@nevadaculture.org or go to Nevadaculture.org.
