The United States Mint was established by the Coinage Act of 1792 and is one of the world's oldest national mints in continuous operation. Major facilities are at Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco and West Point.
The Mint launched the American Gold Eagle (22ct) and Silver Eagle (.999) in 1986, both of which became the best-selling bullion coins in their respective markets. In 2006 it added the .9999 fine American Gold Buffalo — a pure-gold alternative to the alloyed Eagle. Eagle premiums in the UK tend to be higher than European or Commonwealth equivalents because of US export logistics and the strong domestic American collector base.