
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 31USC5131]

 
                       TITLE 31--MONEY AND FINANCE
 
                           SUBTITLE IV--MONEY
 
                     CHAPTER 51--COINS AND CURRENCY
 
                   SUBCHAPTER III--UNITED STATES MINT
 
Sec. 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, 
Sec. 2(a)-(c)(2), Mar. 31, 1988, 102 Stat. 48; Pub. L. 102-390, title 
II, Secs. 224, 225(b)(3), (4), Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1629; Pub. L. 
104-208, div. A, title I, Sec. 101(f) [title V, Secs. 503, 522], Sept. 
30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009-314, 3009-344, 3009-347; Pub. L. 104-329, title 
III, Sec. 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       R.S. Sec
.  343(1st sentence words after
                                        after 1st comma).               1st com
ma).
                                       31:261.                         R.S. Sec
.  3495; restated July 11, 1962,
                                                                        Pub. L.
 87-534, Sec.  1, 76 Stat. 155.
5131(b)..............................  31:278.                         R.S. Sec
.  3553.
                                       31:283(1st sentence).           R.S. Sec
.  3558(1st sentence); July 11,
                                                                        1962, P
ub. L. 87-534, Sec.  2, 76 Stat.
                                                                        155; re
stated July 23, 1965, Pub. L. 89-
                                                                        81, Sec
.  201, 79 Stat. 256.
                                       31:324f.                        Oct. 18,
 1973, Pub. L. 93-127, Sec.  3,
                                                                        87 Stat
. 456.
                                       31:361(1st sentence words       June 19,
 1878, ch. 329, Sec.  1(1st
                                        before 1st comma).              sentenc
e on p. 191), 20 Stat. 191.
                                       ..............................  July 7, 
1898, ch. 571(7th par. 1st
                                                                        sentenc
e words before 1st comma under
                                                                        heading
 ``Mints and Assay Offices''), 30
                                                                        Stat. 6
61.
5131(c)..............................  31:263.                         R.S. Sec
.  3496; Aug. 23, 1912, ch. 350,
                                                                        Sec.  1
(last par. words before 7th comma
                                                                        under h
eading ``Assay Office at Salt
                                                                        Lake Ci
ty, Utah''), 37 Stat. 384.
                                       31:279.                         R.S. Sec
.  3554; Aug. 23, 1912, ch. 350,
                                                                        Sec.  1
(last par. words before 7th comma
                                                                        under h
eading ``Assay Office at Salt
                                                                        Lake Ci
ty, Utah''), 37 Stat. 384.
                                       31:281.                         R.S. Sec
.  3555; Aug. 23, 1912, ch. 350,
                                                                        Sec.  1
(last par. words before 7th comma
                                                                        under h
eading ``Assay Office at Salt
                                                                        Lake Ci
ty, Utah''), 37 Stat. 384; June
                                                                        6, 1972
, Pub. L. 92-310, Sec.  231(g),
                                                                        86 Stat
. 210.
5131(d)..............................  31:287.                         R.S. Sec
.  3562.
5131(e)..............................  31:292.                         Aug. 20,
 1963, Pub. L. 88-102, Sec.  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.


                               Amendments

    1996--Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 104-208, Sec. 101(f) [title V, 
Secs. 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, Sec. 225(b)(3), substituted 
``United States Mint'' for ``Bureau of the Mint'' in introductory 
provisions.
    Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102-390, Sec. 225(b)(4), substituted ``United 
States Mint'' for ``Bureau''.
    Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102-390, Sec. 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, Sec. 2(b), substituted ``mint 
at West Point, New York'' for ``assay office at New York, New York''.
    Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 100-274, Sec. 2(a), substituted ``mint'' for 
``assay office''.
    Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100-274, Sec. 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, Sec. 2(c)(2), substituted ``Each mint 
has'' for ``Each mint and the assay office at New York have''.


                  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, Sec. 517(2), (3)] of 
Pub. L. 104-208, set out as a note under section 5141 of this title.
