1792年4月2日，美国国会通过《铸币法案》（Coinage Act），成立美国铸币局并制订美国硬币流通制度。 法案的全名为《美国硬币铸造和流通法案》（An act establishing a mint, and regulating the Coins of the United States）。法案确定美元为美国货币单位，并创建了美国货币十进制系统。

根据法案规定，铸币局位于美国政府所在地。最初的五名铸币局官员为铸币局长、分析师、主铸币师、雕刻师和司库。法案允许主铸币师和雕刻师可以由同一人担任。分析师、主铸币师和司库被要求向美国财政部交10,000美金保证金。

The Coinage Act or the Mint Act, passed by the United States Congress on April 2, 1792, established the United States Mint and regulated the coinage of the United States. The long title of the legislation is An act establishing a mint, and regulating the Coins of the United States. This act established the silver dollar as the unit of money in the United States, declared it to be lawful tender, and created a decimal system for U.S. currency.