San Francisco Old Mint Commemorative Coin Act

SAN FRANCISCO OLD MINT COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT -- (House of Representatives - November 08, 2005)

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Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her leadership on this bill which is so important to the City of San Francisco but, more importantly, to our country because it is part of our country's history.

I want to extend my gratitude as well to my colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle who have made this a very bipartisan effort. As was indicated by the gentlewoman from New York, we have 291 co-sponsors. That is why we were able to come to the floor. I thank Members so much for their help.

I am proud to rise in support of the San Francisco Old Mint Commemorative Coin Act, my bill to authorize the issuance of commemorative coins in 2006 honoring San Francisco's Old Mint. As you know, Mr. Speaker, that was the year of the great earthquake in California, so the history is very meaningful to our area. H.R. 1953 will help ensure that this building exists for many generations to come.

Congress established the San Francisco Old Mint, as others have referenced, in 1852. This was immediately following the Gold Rush in 1849, and it was affectionately known as the Granite Lady.

The Mint is the oldest stone structure in San Francisco. Its architect, A.B. Mullet, also designed the United States Treasury Building, and we all know how beautiful that is, and the Old Executive Office Building here in Washington, D.C.

In 1906, disaster struck the City of San Francisco in the great earthquake of that year; and next year will be the 100th anniversary of the earthquake that leveled much of San Francisco. With infrastructure destroyed and lines of communication severed, the city was unable to respond when a subsequent fire spread to anything that would burn. The blaze raged for more than 3 days and destroyed more than 28,000 buildings. More than 3,000 people died and more than 225,000 lost their homes. This was a huge number considering the population of San Francisco at the time.

Yet, as much of the city crumbled in one of the worst natural disasters in our Nation's history, the Granite Lady stood strong. Mullet's architecture let the Mint float on its foundation, allowing it to survive the earthquake and the fire. Treasury Department employees worked with the United States Army with only one hose connected to two wells on the property to save this building and the $200 million in gold that was stored in its vaults. It was the only functional financial institution after the quake in San Francisco and was used as a relief fund treasury. The coin's 2006 issuance, 100 years later, will honor the Mint and its role in San Francisco's recovery.

The Old Mint operated until 1937. It played a pivotal role in the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad and the economic development of the western United States. At one time, the Granite Lady produced more than half of the United States coinage; and by 1934 it held a third of the Nation's gold supply. The Mint produced many rare coins, some worth more than $1 million, Mr. Speaker. Coins minted in San Francisco bear the S mint mark, which is very significant.

In 1961, the Mint was designated a National Historic Landmark but slowly fell into disrepair, to be closed in 1994 due to structural concerns. Since that time, I have worked with our two senators, Senator Feinstein and Senator Boxer, to give the recognition to the Old Mint, the Granite Lady, that she deserved.

The National Trust For Historic Preservation lists the Mint as one of the most endangered American structures. Today, with this bill, we can help declare the Old Mint endangered no longer.

The American Numismatic Association has partnered with the City of San Francisco and the City of San Francisco Museum and Historical Society to establish a special coin museum. When completed, the Mint will be one of the Nation's largest museums devoted to telling the story of our country's coinage from colonial times up to the present. Along with our rich history comes a responsibility to preserve and protect it for future generations.

I am very, very proud of the history that the Old Mint, the Old Granite Lady, represents. It is about the founding of our city in San Francisco in Gold Rush times. The Mint almost corresponds to that date, and it has been part of our history and that of our country ever since. I urge my colleagues to join us in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake and fire and to honor the landmark of national significance with a vote for H.R. 1953.

Again, I thank our colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans, for their cooperation on this bill which is very important to our country's history.

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