Formerly the world's largest privately owned mint, the company produced coins for many foreign nations including France, Italy, China, and much of the British Empire during the 19th century.

Included in the sale were lathes, milling machines, dies, and most notably coin presses of a similar type to those used at the Royal Mint in London.

Having had experience in the die-making process, and noting a lack of any competition, Heaton made a decision to purchase the necessary equipment in hopes of taking over the contracts left in the wake of the Soho Mint's demise.

As the British Empire continued its global expansion into new territories across Asia, the government-owned Royal Mint proved unable to effectively supply the coinage needed for the burgeoning colonies.

A reason for this was the inability of the Royal Mint to alternate between metals during production, meaning copper coins were passed over for the more lucrative silver and gold.

Neighbouring France were in the process of a major re-coining effort, and requested help in operating and re-equipping one of their minting facilities, in Marseille.

To oversee the endeavour himself, Heaton II gathered a few of his workers and moved to Marseille for the project's duration, while periodically making trips back to England.

Upon reaching the French mint, Heaton II found it in a state of disrepair with broken coin presses and rusting milling machines which he later sold for scrap.

The Marseille Mint produced over 101 million coins, consisting of 1, 2, 5 and centime pieces, and after five years of production Heaton II's involvement in France's recoinage was complete.

As overseas orders continued to increase, particularly for India, the mint added a new lever press and further equipment, filling the Shadwell Street premises to capacity.

So as to accommodate their increased business, in 1860 the firm bought a 1-acre (0.40 ha) plot on Icknield Street and constructed a three-storey red brick factory which opened two years later.

[4] Previous attempts by the Empress Dowager Cixi to introduce new machining techniques into China had failed, with mints in Zhili and Nanjing being unable to supplant the well established local cast cash coins.

One such contract came in the form of a commission by businessman and self-appointed King Martin Coles Harman who in 1929 requested coins with his likeness be minted for use on his privately owned island of Lundy.

Under restructuring plans, the minting facility in Witton closed and operations merged with the plant on Icknield Street in Hockley.

Although the United Kingdom decided to opted out of the European currency project, the Birmingham Mint attempted to win a contract to produce coin planchets for the new Euros, which consisted of eight denominations.

Similar to legal tender Euros, these coins featured the same reverse design, mass, dimensions, and metal composition, however, the obverse was pressed with the Birmingham Mint's logo.

By the early 2000s another financial blow was a dispute with the Royal Mint over an agreement regarding historic rights to profits on overseas contracts.

Built to encompass a rectangular yard, the works have a symmetrical formal elevation to the street, in an Italianate red brick style.

A long range on 3 storeys of 2:5:1:5:2 bays, the end pairs and broader pedimented centre break forward, along with hipped slate roofs.