As recently as last summer, the Old United States Mint in San Francisco was a sorry sight.

Nearly every night homeless people would pitch their tents on the granite landing by the massive Doric columns. Those who had no tentswould sleep on beds of flattened cardboard boxes.

Trash was routinely thrown over the side and onto a fenced-in yard that looked like it hadn't seen a landscaping crew in years.

Passers-by had to watch their step - the overnight residents weren't too particular where they took their bathroom breaks.

Fast forward six months, and now take a look.

The refuse is gone, the ground raked and replaced with mulch and pea gravel. Palm trees and evergreen shrubs rise up where weeds once sprouted. The rusty iron fence has been sanded down and repainted.

No one bivouacs next to the front doors anymore.

Amazing what a difference hosting a Super Bowl makes!

To be fair, the transformation of the Old Mint began in earnest well before the Big Game festivities got rolling. But San Francisco definitely ramped up the makeover in recent weeks. For example, the mulch was just laid this week, and the paint on the historic lampposts, brushed on on Tuesday, is barely dry.

So apparently we can thank high-end football cleats for helping to make the Old Mint minty fresh.

To read the complete article, see:
Suddenly, the Old Mint is all spiffed up for the Super Bowl (www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Suddenly-the-SF-mint-is-all-spiffed-up-for-the-6804131.php)

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
OLD SAN FRANCISCO MINT BUILDING ATTRACTS HOMELESS (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v18n24a38.html)
SIGNS OF RESTORATION AT OLD SAN FRANCISCO MINT (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n04a15.html)