Pre-colonial and colonial eras -- Independence and confederation -- Establishing the United States mint -- Mint profile: U.S. Mint at Philadelphia -- Mint expansion and new designs -- Mint profile: U.S. Mint at Charlotte -- Mint profile: U.S. Mint at Dahlonega -- Mint profile: U.S. Mint at New Orleans -- California gold rush -- Mint profile: U.S. Mint at San Francisco -- New problem -- Too many coins -- Civil war and the U.S. economy -- Mint topic: Canadian coins in American circulation -- Restoring the nation's coinage -- Mint profile: U.S. Mint at Carson City -- Battle over silver versus gold -- Mint topic: Commemorative U.S. Coins -- New coins for a new age -- Mint profile: U.S. Mint at Denver -- Mint profile: U.S. Mint at Manila -- World War I and its aftermath -- Mint topic: America's coin collection -- Changes at the United States mint -- Demands of world war II -- New designs for a new age -- Challenges of modern minting -- Mint topic: Ill-fated 1964-d silver dollars -- Mint topic: Technological advances -- Mint profile: U.S. Mint at West Point -- Mint topic: U.S. Mint's bullion coins -- Mint topic: 50 state quarters® program -- Bibliography