The Third Philadelphia Mint Building is Open to Visitors as a Rare Nickel Is Auctioned, Expected to Fetch $5 Million Dollars

Community College of Philadelphia is opening its doors August 14-16 to the coin enthusiasts flocking to Philadelphia to see the World's Fair of Money® and the rare nickel that is expected to be auctioned off in Philadelphia on Wednesday for $5 million.

The Third Philadelphia Mint, which Community College of Philadelphia acquired in 1971, happens to be the place where the Eliasberg 1913 Liberty Head Nickel was minted. The Stack's Bowers Galleries is offering this coin for auction Aug. 15 during the American Numismatic Association's World's Fair of Money, which will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center Aug. 14-18, 2018.

The nickel is one of only five that are known to have been produced at the Third Philadelphia Mint, an historic jewel that is now the heart of the College’s Main Campus. The Mint is renowned as the place Gilroy Roberts, the Ninth Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint (1948 to 1964), developed the design of the obverse (heads) side of the Kennedy half dollar, which was commissioned after the President John F. Kennedy’s death on November 22, 1963. The Gilroy and Lillian P. Roberts Foundation gave the College more than $1 million to preserve the historic Philadelphia collection and the legacy of an engraver whose likeness of JFK is recognized around the world.

On August 14-16th, visitors are invited o look inside the Mint building and tour the Gilroy Roberts: Mastering a Craft exhibit. The Mint Building is located at 1700 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, Pa  

For more information:  A history of the third US Mint and Gilroy Roberts Gallery