31 U.S.C.
United States Code, 2023 Edition
Title 31 - MONEY AND FINANCE
SUBTITLE IV - MONEY
CHAPTER 51 - COINS AND CURRENCY
SUBCHAPTER III - UNITED STATES MINT
Sec. 5131 - Organization
From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov

### §5131. Organization

(a) The United States Mint has—

(1) a United States mint at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

(2) a United States mint at Denver, Colorado.

(3) a United States mint at West Point, New York.

(4) a United States mint at San Francisco, California.

(b) The Secretary of the Treasury shall carry out duties and powers related to refining and assaying bullion, minting coins, striking medals, and numismatic items at the mints. However, until the Secretary decides that the mints are adequate for minting and striking an ample supply of coins and medals, the Secretary may use any facility of the United States Mint to mint coins and strike medals and to store coins and medals.

(c) Laws on mints, officers and employees of mints, and punishment of offenses related to mints and minting coins apply to assay offices, as applicable.

(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 988; Pub. L. 100–274, §2(a)–(c)(2), Mar. 31, 1988, 102 Stat. 48; Pub. L. 102–390, title II, §§224, 225(b)(3), (4), Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1629; Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, §101(f) [title V, §§503, 522], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–314, 3009–344, 3009–347; Pub. L. 104–329, title III, §304, Oct. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 4015.)

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large)
--- | --- | ---
5131(a) | 31:251(1st sentence words after 1st comma). | R.S. §343(1st sentence words after 1st comma).
| 31:261. | R.S. §3495; restated July 11, 1962, Pub. L. 87–534, §1, 76 Stat. 155.
5131(b) | 31:278. | R.S. §3553.
| 31:283(1st sentence). | R.S. §3558(1st sentence); July 11, 1962, Pub. L. 87–534, §2, 76 Stat. 155; restated July 23, 1965, Pub. L. 89–81, §201, 79 Stat. 256.
| 31:324f. | Oct. 18, 1973, Pub. L. 93–127, §3, 87 Stat. 456.
| 31:361(1st sentence words before 1st comma). | June 19, 1878, ch. 329, §1(1st sentence on p. 191), 20 Stat. 191.
|  | July 7, 1898, ch. 571(7th par. 1st sentence words before 1st comma under heading "Mints and Assay Offices"), 30 Stat. 661.
5131(c) | 31:263. | R.S. §3496; Aug. 23, 1912, ch. 350, §1(last par. words before 7th comma under heading "Assay Office at Salt Lake City, Utah"), 37 Stat. 384.
| 31:279. | R.S. §3554; Aug. 23, 1912, ch. 350, §1(last par. words before 7th comma under heading "Assay Office at Salt Lake City, Utah"), 37 Stat. 384.
| 31:281. | R.S. §3555; Aug. 23, 1912, ch. 350, §1(last par. words before 7th comma under heading "Assay Office at Salt Lake City, Utah"), 37 Stat. 384; June 6, 1972, Pub. L. 92–310, §231(g), 86 Stat. 210.
5131(d) | 31:287. | R.S. §3562.
5131(e) | 31:292. | Aug. 20, 1963, Pub. L. 88–102, §2, 77 Stat. 129.

In subsection (a), the words "The Bureau of the Mint has" are substituted for "embracing in its organization and under its control all mints . . . and all assay offices" in 31:251(1st sentence words after 1st comma) because of the restatement and to eliminate unnecessary words. The words "for the manufacture of coin . . . for the stamping of bars, which have been, or which may be, authorized by law" are omitted as superseded by the source provisions restated in subsection (b).

In subsection (b), the words "The Secretary of the Treasury shall carry out duties and powers" are added because of the source provisions restated in section 321 of the revised title. The words "related to refining and assaying bullion, minting coins, striking medals, and numismatic items at the mints and assay offices" are substituted for 31:278(1st sentence words before comma), 283(1st–26th words), and 361(1st sentence words before 1st comma) to eliminate unnecessary words and for consistency with the source provisions restated in sections 5111(a)(1)–(3) and 5120(a) of the revised title. The words "and not coin" in 31:278 are omitted as unnecessary because of the restatement. The words "and no metals shall be purchased for minor coinage" are omitted as superseded by section 5111(b) of the revised title. The text of 31:278(2d, last sentences) is omitted as obsolete because the Secretary of the Treasury has authority to mint coins containing silver only under section 5112(e) of the revised title and the Secretary holds sufficient silver to mint those coins. See Sen. Rept. No. 91–1084 (1970). The words "except that until the Secretary of the Treasury determines that the mints of the United States are adequate for the production of ample supplies of coins, its facilities may be used for the production of coins" in 31:283(1st sentence) are omitted as superseded by the source provisions restated in the subsection. The words "striking" and "strike" are added for consistency with section 5111 of the revised title.

In subsection (c), the text of 31:281(words before semicolon) is omitted as superseded by the source provisions restated in section 321 of the revised title, and 31:281(words after semicolon) is omitted as superseded by the source provisions restated in subsection (d) and by 5:ch. 35, subch. II.

In subsection (e), the words "the mint at Philadelphia" are substituted for "any building constructed pursuant to this subchapter" because that is the building that was constructed under the subchapter.

#### Editorial Notes

#### Amendments

1996—Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 104–208, §101(f) [title V, §§503, 522], and Pub. L. 104–329, amended section identically, redesignating subsec. (d) as (c) and striking out former subsec. (c) which read as follows: "Each mint has a superintendent and an assayer appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The mint at Philadelphia has an engraver appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate."

1992—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–390, §225(b)(3), substituted "United States Mint" for "Bureau of the Mint" in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–390, §225(b)(4), substituted "United States Mint" for "Bureau".

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102–390, §224, struck out subsec. (e) which read as follows: "The Secretary shall operate, maintain, and have custody of, the mint at Philadelphia. However, the Administrator of General Services shall make repairs and improvements to the mint."

1988—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 100–274, §2(b), substituted "mint at West Point, New York" for "assay office at New York, New York".

Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 100–274, §2(a), substituted "mint" for "assay office".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–274, §2(c)(1), struck out "and assay offices, except that only bars may be made at the assay offices" before period at end of first sentence.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–274, §2(c)(2), substituted "Each mint has" for "Each mint and the assay office at New York have".

#### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

#### Authority of Special Police Officers

For authority of special police officers of United States Mint over buildings and land under control and in vicinity of the Mint and to protection in transit of bullion, coins, dies, and other property and assets of the Mint, see section 101(f) [title V, §517(2), (3)] of Pub. L. 104–208, set out as a note under section 5141 of this title.