U.S. Mint Considers Production of Cost Savings Steel Coins. As part of a 2010 Congressional cost savings initiative, the U.S. Mint has been studying and testing the replacement and or substitution of the base metals in its coinage with steel. All currently circulating coins and especially the nickel, are in the U.S. Mint’s cross hairs. … Continue reading U.S. Mint Examines Ways to Further Debase its Coinage