History of the BEP

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing had its foundations in 1861 with workers signing, separating, and trimming sheets of Demand Notes in the Treasury building. Gradually, more and more work, including engraving and printing, was entrusted to the organization. Within a few years, the Bureau was producing fractional currency, revenue stamps, government obligations, and other security documents for many federal agencies. In 1877, the Bureau became the sole producer of all United States currency. The addition of postage stamp production to its workload in 1894 established the Bureau as the nation’s security printer, responding to the needs of the U. S. government in both times of peace and war. Today, the Bureau is the largest producer of U. S. government security documents with production facilities in Washington, D.C. and in Ft. Worth, Texas.