The Denver Mint robbery was a daylight armed theft on December 18, 1922, in which attackers stole more than $200,000 from a Federal Reserve truck outside the U.S. Mint branch in Denver, Colorado.
A Daylight Attack at the Mint in Denver
The Denver Mint robbery was one of the most dramatic crimes ever attempted against the United States Mint. On December 18, 1922, a Federal Reserve Bank truck pulled up to the front door of the mint in Denver on West Colfax Avenue to collect a shipment of currency that had been stored at the Mint for the Federal Reserve. What should have been a routine transfer turned into an ambush that left one guard dead, damaged the Mint’s exterior, and netted the thieves more than $200,000 in cash, most of it in new five-dollar bills.
How the Crime Played Out
The scene unfolded in broad daylight outside the mint at roughly 10:30 that morning. As the money was being loaded into the federal reserve bank truck, a black Buick touring car pulled up alongside. Men jumped from the automobile in front of the truck, announced a holdup, and opened fire with sawed-off shotguns. One robber grabbed the money sacks while the others covered the operation with gunfire. Inside the mint, armed personnel reacted almost instantly. Guards began returning fire from within the building and from the area around the truck, turning the incident into a brief exchange of gunfire on a downtown street.
Among those caught in the attack was guard Charles T. Linton, a Federal Reserve officer rather than a Mint employee. He was struck by shotgun fire during the assault and died shortly afterward, making him one of the few Federal Reserve guards known to have been killed in such an attack. Cashier Joseph Olsen hit the ground for cover, while another guard reportedly crawled beneath the truck as the gunfire spread.
Why the Robbers Succeeded
The robbery is notable because it occurred directly outside a heavily guarded federal facility. The robbers used speed, surprise, and placement to their advantage. By pulling the Buick beside the truck, they created a shield that complicated the response from federal reserve guards and others inside the building. Even with numerous armed men in the mint, the robbery unfolded very quickly, with the gang escaping east on Colfax within a matter of minutes. Witnesses said one wounded member of the gang appeared to be standing on the running board and may have been trying to fire back before being pulled into the car.
The Investigation and Outcome
The investigation that followed involved the Denver Police Department and other federal authorities. Roads leading out of Denver, Colorado were watched, descriptions were collected, and reports of the fleeing car moved across state lines from Omaha to Chicago and then St. Paul before the trail went cold. The case broke partly open weeks later when the getaway Buick was found in a Denver garage with the frozen body of Nicholas Trainor, also known as James Sloan, inside. Investigators concluded he had been mortally wounded during the robbery and abandoned by the others. The remaining suspects were never brought to trial, and some identifications remained disputed.
Why It Still Matters
The unresolved outcome continues to interest historians and true-crime researchers. It was not just a theft. It was a public gun battle outside the United States Mint, carried out with precision, nerve, and an escape plan good enough to leave the central mystery unsolved. For the mint in Denver, it became a defining legend. For Denver police and federal investigators, it became a case that was only partly solved before being officially closed in 1934. And for U.S. Mint history, it remains one of the most notorious robberies ever carried out outside a federal building.
