Royal Mint in Tower of London

The Royal Mint operated inside the walls of the Tower of London for over five centuries. Beginning around 1279, coin production was centralized within this fortress to ensure the security of the nation's currency. Workers transformed the area between the inner and outer walls into a dedicated industrial hub known as Mint Street. This space housed fiery furnaces and specialized workshops where moneyers struck coins by hand for hundreds of years. The proximity to the Crown and the protection of the garrison helped guard against the constant threat of forgery and theft.