Charlotte's old U.S. Mint and the 'built on gold' quip

Charlotte was home to a 19th-century branch of the United States Mint that struck gold coins from regional gold deposits, a historical fact reflected in local museums and exhibits. The Mint's legacy is preserved in the Mint Museum Uptown, which interprets the city's numismatic history. Because of this history, locals sometimes jokingly say Charlotte was 'built on gold' when referencing the city's early economy and heritage.