On the front was the "head of the Goddess of Liberty surrounded by thirteen stars, with "Clark & Company" in the tiara.

Additionally, they purchased 77,000 troy ounces of raw gold, and shipped "large amounts of dust" to the Philadelphia Mint.

Unlike Clark, Gruber and Company, though, the Denver plant performed no coinage of gold as first intended.

[4]: 77  One reason given by the Director of the Mint for the lack of coinage at Denver was, "…the hostility of the Indian tribes along the routes, doubtless instigated by rebel emissaries (there being a Civil War) and bad white men."

During its early years as an Assay Office, the Denver plant was the city's most substantial structure.

The United States Treasury did not expand its smelting and refining operations at the same rate as the discovery and production of gold.

The site for the new mint at West Colfax and Delaware streets was purchased on April 22, 1896, for approximately $60,000.

Appropriations to complete and equip the plant were insufficient, and the transfer of assay operations to the new building were delayed until September 1, 1904.

Coinage operations finally began on February 1, 1906, advancing the status of the Denver facility to Branch Mint.