The United States Mint was created when Congress signed into law the Coinage Act of 1782. The US Mint was originally responsible for producing the coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce. It was made part of the Department of State, and on September 11, 1789, Alexander Hamilton took the oath of office as the first Secretary of the Treasury. Since the US capital was then located in Philadelphia, the first mint was established there in 1792. This was the first building of the republic raised under the Constitution.