The New Orleans Mint

Above, the 1883-o Morgan Silver Dollar reverse. The mint mark is
 between and above the "D" and "O". Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At the National Money Show last weekend, I purchased an 1883-o Morgan Silver Dollar. The "o" indicates that the coin was minted at the U.S. Mint in New Orleans, Louisiana.

This got me curious enough to want to learn more of the New Orleans Mint.

About the New Orleans Mint: 

New Orleans was the largest of the early mints. The reasons for this are suggested by its location at a major port of entry to the United States and the fact that the city was known as the emporium of the Great Valley, with considerable quantities of gold coming from Mexico. Furthermore, as one scholar notes, "The Southern mints were the result of [President Andrew] Jackson's long war with the Bank of America and paper money". Jackson had considerable personal ties to New Orleans, as well.

During the Civil War the Mint was occupied by Confederate forces and produced coins for the Confederate States. Coining for the United States resumed in 1879 and continued until 1909, when other mints, such as San Francisco, rendered the New Orleans facility obsolete. An assay office operated in the building until 1931 when it was converted to a prison to handle Prohibition violations. In 1934 the prison was shut down and the Coast Guard took over the building. Finally, in 1979 the building was transferred to the State of Louisiana for use as a museum.

Above, the obverse of the 1883-o Morgan Silver Dollar. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today, the New Orleans Mint building is home of the New Orleans Jazz Museum.