US Mint
Also known as: San Francisco Assay Office
Why it's listed
Set on a small rock knoll at 155 Hermann Street, this three-story, granite-faced Classical Revival building houses the San Francisco Mint, also called the San Francisco Assay Office. Construction began in August 1935, the cornerstone was laid in July 1936, and it was dedicated in May 1937. The Clinton Construction Company built it from plans by the Office of the Supervising Architect. Inside, the lobby is finished in marble and bronze, with carved marble eagles, an inlaid compass, and a gold-leaf ceiling. A 1958 remodeling converted much of the interior for other agencies. It is the third building to house the Mint in San Francisco, a facility authorized by Congress in 1852. Coins were struck here from 1937 to 1955, and assay work continued afterward. Minting resumed in 1966, and the facility now makes proof sets and silver bullion coins. Its long economic role led to a period of significance running to the present.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is the third home of the San Francisco Mint and played an ongoing, exceptionally significant role in U.S. economic history. It served as a depository and assay site for gold and silver, and as a coin production facility. Because of this continuing role, the period of significance was extended to within the last fifty years.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88000026, listed February 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 155 Hermann St., San Francisco |
|---|---|
| County | San Francisco |
| Listed | February 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000026 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1937-1987 |
| Architect / builder | Gilbert Stanley Underwood (listed as Underwood, Gilbert Stanlay); built by Clinton Construction Co., California; plans prepared by the Office of Supervising Architect |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Economics, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a U.S. Mint facility producing proof coin sets and American Eagle silver bullion coins; a high-security operating facility not open to the public. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 37.77019, -122.42714 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88000026.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3109253
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.