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Thursday, December 25, 2008

CHRISTMAS PARTY AT SOUTHGATE

I just read the newest Southgate Coins weblog article about their Christmas party. The good folks at Southgate really know how to do a party right! Check it out.
Happy new year!!

Monday, December 22, 2008

BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE...

The Americana Sale of January 12-14, 2009, New York City hosted by Stack's, is featuring a quartet of super "CC" silver coins.
1. 1871-CC dime (PCGS AU-50)
2. 1873-CC with arrows dime (NGC AU-55)
3. 1874-CC with arrows dime (PCGS AU-55) (CAC) Key Date
4. 1870-CC half dollar (PCGS AU-50)
All of a sudden, super "CC" *Top 25 coins are coming out of the woodwork. It'd be nice to keep them in our family.
Merry Christmas and a happy "CC" new year to all!
Stack's can be reached at 800 566-2580 or www.stacks.com or auction@stacks.com
*Top 25 from "Mint on Carson Street", Rusty Goe

'Twas the "CC" That Saved Christmas

'Twas the beginning of winter
And all through the land
All of the coin dealers
Wished bullion was banned.

No Panda Bears, no Maple leafs,
No Krugerrands or Eagles.
No Philharmonics or Kangaroos,
Because they’d be illegal.

The people would be saddened
And void of Christmas cheer
All searching for a replacement
For bullion held so dear.

But what could replace bullion
And hold their hearts anew?
Perhaps a little “CC” coin
Struck in silver, and gold, too!

Any humble collector knows
The Carson Mint provided much
With three separate silver dollars,
And a twenty-center as a nice touch!

In addition to those special ones,
There’s five, ten, and twenty dollar gold,
Then the quarter, dime, and half dollar
With strikes that are so bold.

Bullion lovers, do not despair
Your hobby is not quite dead
You just need a change of pace,
So why not buy a “CC” coin instead!

FAB "CC" COINS AT THE ORLANDO SALE

Greetings to all C4OA members and "CC" fans everywhere. Stack's is presenting the following fabulous "CC" coins at the upcoming Orlando Sale on January 5, 2009.
1. 1873-CC No Arrows Quarter (PCGS MS-63) One of only five known!
2. 1878-CC Half Dollar (PCGS MS-65) None graded finer by PCGS
3. 1893-CC Morgan Dollar (PCGS PR-65) Branch Mint Proof
4. 1873-CC No Arrows Half Dollar (PCGS MS-63) Closed 3 variety
5. 1870-CC Half Eagle (PCGS AU-50) CAC gold sticker
Stack's can be contacted at 800-566-2580 or www.stacks.com.
My hope is that some (if not all) of these treasures stay within our C4OA family.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

1878 rotated reverse

Several months ago i purchased a 1878 dollar with a 45 degree rotation on the reverse. I didn't find enough information on this coin to submint a article for Curry's Chronicle, maybe someone who has some information on these coins could write a article about these interesting coins.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Hello and Happy Autumn to all C4OAers!

Even though winter has not technically begun, as your C4OA membership services representative, I am proud to announce that the winter 2008 edition of Curry's Chronicle has already been shipped from our printers. (Of course, that means that we are a whopping eleven days ahead of schedule!)

I have already published the winter 2008 Curry’s Chronicle table of contents, containing eight articles that will be appearing in this issue, so please browse the right-hand column of the blogsite to view them. I think that reading them should give you that familiar tingle of anticipation.

For those of you that contributed to this chronicle by submitting articles and letters to the editor, we solemnly thank you, and hope that you continue contributing. For those of you that have not submitted anything, I hope this issue assures you that no matter what your expertise level is, your articles and letters to the editor will be treasured, and they will become apart of the C4OA legacy.

Aside from the anticipation of receiving your Curry's Chronicle, I hope that you all have a wonderful end-of-November, and a very special Thanksgiving holiday.

Warmest regards,

Maya

Monday, November 10, 2008

NCS talk

Question to all you numismasters...

I have an important type coin that I purchased in an NCS holder. I have no intention of selling the coin, and frankly was very lucky to have found this piece, graded "MS details" by NCS, since it would be an absolute monster in an NGC or PCGS Mint State holder.

I am starting to see a lot of coins in PCGS holders graded "Original". Am I correct to assume this is their way of capturing more "holdering" business that otherwise would have been sent back in a body bag? If so, then good for them. There are no worries as long as the action is not misleading or missinterpreted by the public.

But here's the real $64,000 question...who's holder in the long run will provide my "would be monster coin" with the most upside value gain...the "NCS, MS Details holder" or the "PCGS - Original holder"?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts. It's your lead....Off Belay

Article in Numismatic News-Southgate 1808 half dollar giveaway

Greetings C4OA members and all "CC" fans. There's a nice article in the latest issue (Nov. 11, 2008) of the Numismatic News business section (page 44) about the four month long, six question competition that Southgate Coins hosted earlier this year. The prize was an 1808 capped bust half dollar and the contest was won by Garrett Allen, an 8-year-old Reno boy. The article contains an interview with Garrett and includes a nice picture. It's a great article about a wonderful event that shows another positive aspect of our C4OA club. Congrats to Garrett

Friday, October 31, 2008

Another 1870-CC Double Eagle

In the November 3 Coin World, on the reverse side of the cover page, is an ad for the next Bowers and Merena auction and an 1870-CC double eagle is pictured. NGC EF-45. I am just starting a post to track the results. :)

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Coin Photography

I just finished reading Mark Goodman's "Numismatic Photography" and want to encourage my CC club cousins to pick this booklet up. Goodman does a great job of explaining each different technique to the novice and then taking it up a notch for the expert before moving on to the next step.

One of the best aspects of the book for me was Goodman's style of explaining each process without presuming his reader already has certain photographic skills. The book gets as technical as you can stand. Goodman left me in the dust about 2/3 of the way through...which was furhter than I have gotten before with other instructional photographic books.

Seriously though...this is the gold standard manual and well worth the $25 bucks I shelled out.

Belay Off

Monday, October 13, 2008

Winter 2008 Curry's Chronicle Deadline - October 31, 2008!

Well hello all you C4OAers!

I just wanted to remind those of you viewing the blogsite that the deadline for article and letter to the editor submissions for the winter 2008 issue of Curry's Chronicle is October 31, 2008.

So, if you have news, stories, or information you're dying to share with fellow Carson City enthusiasts, or maybe a word of praise to the editor about the last issue, please make the effort and send in your typed submissions to mariesgate@sbcglobal.net. (For further instructions and options regarding how to submit articles to Curry's Chronicle, please reference the FYI pages in your most recent issue.)

Many thanks to all those who have already contributed their articles and letters to the editor for the winter 2008 edition, and we look forward to those yet to come!

-Maya

Friday, September 26, 2008

Trade Dollar talk

I had to read Mr Sneddon's article in the current issue of Curry's Chronicle several times and then compare his descriptions to my own Trade Dollars in order to get the most out of the article. Even still...I had to call Rusty to clarify a couple of points.

Does anyone know of a reference book or article that focuses on Trade Dollar varieties?

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

1876-CC 20-CENTER REALIZES $264,500!

Collectors talked about it for weeks. Many stopped by Superior's table at the Baltimore ANA just to catch a glimpse of it. And now, it's history. An 1876-CC 20-cent piece graded MS-62 by PCGS cost its new owner $264,500 in Superior's Pre-Long Beach sale, held on Monday, September 15 in Beverly Hills, CA.

The bidding stalled momentarily at the $225,000 level (not including the 15% buyer's fee), before the final bid of $230,000 captured the coveted prize. Add in an additonal 15% ($34,500) and you've got a new record-shattering price (for this date in this grade).



During the spring of 1876, the Carson City Mint struck 10,000 twenty-cent pieces. None of them were released for circulation (at least none that were reported), however, as the Treasury Dept. subsequently removed this denomination from the nation's monetary system. The following spring, in 1877, the superintendent at the Carson Mint received an order to melt down all twenty-cent pieces in inventory.

It is believed that approximately 9,980 1876-CC twenty-cent pieces were destroyed. A handful of them had been sent to the Assay Commission back east to be tested for standard weights and measures. Presumably, another small group of these storied coins eventually fell into the hands of collectors or other interested parties, and today (2008), it is estimated that 18 to 20 examples survive.


Prices for examples of this date/denomination in all grades have risen dramatically. In 1999, a specimen similar in quality to the coin showcased in this posting, failed to meet the consignor's reserve in a Heritage summer ANA sale. Five months later, it realized $69,000 in Heritage's 2000 FUN sale. In March and October 2001, two examples, graded MS-66, brought $161,000 and $138,000, respectively, in Superior and Heritage auctions.

Friday, September 5, 2008

FALL 2008 ISSUE OF CURRY'S CHRONICLE ON THE WAY

All registered C4OAers please be on the lookout for your copies of the Fall 2008 issue of Curry's Chronicle (mailed at the end of August). This special "lucky 13th" edition is packed with 11 info-jammed articles submitted by faithful members. Be sure to check out the FYI pages for a special announcement about our club's journal.

We're happy to announce that the C4OA has passed the 400-member sign-up mark. Yet we realize that many more Carson City coin enthusiasts out there still need to join the club.

We're now gathering new articles for the Winter 2008 issue and invite members to get their submissions in by the October 31 deadline.

With personal greetings from one of the newest members,

Maya Roberts

Thursday, August 14, 2008

COIN WORLD DECLARES IT - ONLY ONE 1873-CC NO ARROWS DIME EXTANT

As you can see, in its August 18th edition, Coin World graciously retracted the incorrect information it reported about two 1873-CC No Arrows dimes surviving. To its credit, Coin World only published what PCGS reported in its Population Report.




We know that population totals listed in grading service records aren't always accurate, and certainly this is easily forgiven in regards to coins with larger surviving quantities. But in the case of a Unique coin like the '73-CC No Arrows dime, it's essential that population statistics remain 100% accurate. It would be like ESPN all of a sudden reporting that there were two Michael Phelpses at the Olympics. Imagine the confusion this would cause?


In all honesty, there's a greater chance that there's more than one '73-CC No Arrows dime on the planet than there is that a clone of Michael Phelps exists somewhere. But if and when a second '73-CC No Arrows surfaces, let's hope the numismatic press gives it at least as much coverage as it does the discovery of another 1943-S copper penny. I mean, come on now, which is the rarer coin and the one worthy of a front-page headline?

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

A MAGICAL WEEKEND

Greetings to all C4OA members and guests.

I invite all of you to check out Southgate Coins weblog to read my story of a very exciting weekend (August 8-9) that my wife Jo Ann and I had with Rusty and Marie Goe.

You can view it at Michael Parrott Guest Writer on Southgate Coin's Weblog

I was honored to have the privilege of being the first guest writer on Southgate's weblog. Rusty supplied the great pictures.

"What a truly wonderful weekend it was!"

Memories of C4OA Meeting at Baltimore World's Fair of Money

A group of about 18 C4OA members and guests gathered for the club's annual meeting at the World's Fair of Money in Baltimore on Thursday, July 31, 2008. We discussed a few business matters. Then I (Rusty) presented a brief talk on how my quest for knowledge about baseball and horse racing many years ago transferred over to the subject of the Carson City Mint and its coins. C4OA was launched to help all "CC" enthusiasts discover information that will enhance their collecting experience.

Next, Weimar White spoke on the subject "Why there was a need for a club like the C4OA." He provided his reasons in a four-point presentation, covering, 1. Learning about "CC" coins. 2. Preserving the history of the Carson City Mint. 3. The importance of Constitutional money. 4. The investment potential of "CC" coins.

Next, Michael Parrott spoke on "What the C4OA means to me." He shared how his contributing articles to Curry's Chronicle has turned him into a more confident writer.

We then adjourned, and had an informal discussion period.

Wish you all would have been there---maybe next year in Los Angeles.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

8-Year-Old Boy Wins 1808 Coin Giveaway Away Competition

This posting doesn't have anything to do with the Carson City Mint or its coins--although it might someday because the kid in the story is interested in "CC" coins. But we thought you'd love the human-interest element invloved in this news release. (Click on link below)

Monday, July 28, 2008

1873-CC WITHOUT ARROWS DIME...2 SURVIVORS...HERE WE GO AGAIN!

Is there any way to clear up the 1873-CC Without Arrows dime controversy? In the latest issue of Coin Values Oct. 2008 issue, which accompanies the Coin World Aug. 4, 2008 issue, there is an article (page 30) by Al Doyle (who I had the pleasure of meeting at our club meeting in Baltimore) entitled "Heading West." On page 32 of that article, Al shows a picture of the 1873-CC Without Arrows dime and states..."of which only 2 examples survive." Later in that article on page 32, Al states, "Low mintages, heavy circulation and a few meltings are the factors that have turned CC products such as the 1873-CC Seated Liberty, No Arrows dime (original mintage listed at 12, 400, with all but two presumed melted), the 1876-CC Seated Liberty 20-cent piece.....etc." I presume that the writers in these modern day coin publications are knowledgeable about coins, so why then is this in print? I will offer an apology if it turns out that yes, there indeed is a 2nd 1873-CC Without Arrows dime that somehow survived. Can this be cleared up once and for all?

Monday, July 7, 2008

THE COMSTOCK BONANZA COLLECTION OF 20 CENTERS

The Comstock Bonanza Collection of twenty cent pieces will be on the auction block at the pre-Long Beach Coin Auction presented by Superior Galleries on September 14, 15 & 16, 2008. Included in this collection is a fabulous 1876-CC twenty cent specimen graded MS 62 by PCGS. Contact Superior Galleries at 800-545-1001; 310-203-9855 or email at: info@sgbh.com

Friday, July 4, 2008

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES FOR NEXT CURRY'S CHRONICLE

The deadline for submission of articles, comments, letters to the editor, and advertising for the fall 2008 issue of Curry's Chronicle is July 31, 2008.

Please don't delay in submitting anything you have to share with our membership.

CLUB'S ANNUAL MEETING SCHEDULED FOR BALTIMORE ANA

Attention all C4OA members (and wannabe members):

The annual meeting of the Carson City Coin Collectors of America is scheduled for Thursday, July 31, at 1:00 p.m. in Room No. 319 on the Third floor of ANA's Worlds Fair of Money convention in Baltimore, MD.

Several members will be sharing about their experiences in collecting "CC" coins, and we will discuss club matters in general. As time permits (1 1/2 hour meeting) we will have a "show and tell" session which will allow members to show or describe their favorite "CC" coins.

We'll have good fellowship and a good time. Please try to attend if possible.

Monday, June 30, 2008

COIN WORLD ARTICLE ABOUT THE "CC" MINT

Greetings C4OA members. I just recieved my new issue of coin world today (July 7, 2008) and read with interest a nice article (page 77) written by CW staff member Cindy Brake. she makes many references to quotes by our own Rusty Goe. she also mentions his great book James Crawford Master of the Mint at Carson City - A Short Full Life. At the end of her 2nd paragraph in the article, Cindy mistakenly states that "In total 57 different coins would be issued" ( by the Carson mint). Of course we all know that 57 coins is the correct total for the three gold denominations but she was refering to the total gold and silver coin output which we also all know to be 111 coins. Other than that, Cindy wrote a nice article here and provided some nice pictures as well. those include: The "CC" mint circa 1879, weighing scales housed in the NV State Museum, obverse & reverse of an 1870-CC seated dollar - 1884-CC $20 - 1870-CC $20 - 1876-CC twenty center & the one and only (as in unique) 1873-CC without arrows dime. All in all, a nice article by Cindy.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Second 1873-CC No Arrows?

Has anyone gotten to the bottom of the "phantom" 1873-CC No Arrows dime that appeared in the PCGS population report a few years ago? The last thing I read about it was Rusty Goe's article in the E-Sylum Volume 6, Number 24 on June 15, 2003.

Any updates?

1870-CC DOUBLE EAGLE IN NGC XF-40 BRINGS $299,000

On Wednesday evening June 25, 2008 in New York City, an 1870-CC $20 gold piece graded XF-40 by NGC sold for $299,000 ($260,000 hammer price). Pre-sale estimates suggested that this coin might bring in excess of $325,000. In fact, a poll conducted on C4OA's blogsite resulted in a majority opinion of a price realized of $350,000 or higher.

This specimen of the rarest date/denomination in the "CC" gold coin series was featured in Stack's Husky sale which included a fine assortment of U.S. gold pieces.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

1870-CC DOUBLE EAGLE DIE VARIETY 1-A EXPLAINED

This posting is in response to several questions about the 1-A Die variety on 1870-CC $20 gold pieces.

There are two known die varieties for this date, the 1-A and 2-B. The purpose of these designations is to point out distinctive characteristics displayed on each variety.

The Die 1-A variety features a large date with bold details. As seen in the arrow in the image to the left, the "1" in "1870" is near Liberty's neck. The arrow to the right shows the location of the small mintmark in relation to the bottom of the eagle's tailfeathers and the letters NT in TWENTY.


The location of the date and mintmark on the Die 2-B variety is noticeably different.

It's unknown which die variety the Carson Mint first used, although my guess is the 1-A.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Question on the 1870 CC

The Husky description refers to Dies 1-A. Can anyone discuss that? How many dies were there? How they are different? Were 1 and A the first die combination used?

Sunday, June 8, 2008

GREAT NEW CURRY'S CHRONICLE

Thank you C4OA members for another great issue of Curry's Chronicle. Wonderful articles by all (with a special thanks to Otto for your flattering reference to "the Drummer"!) The printers even got this one right...this time! Keep up the good work everyone. I still say the HUSKY 1870-CC double eagle XF-40 goes for close to 400K. We'll wait and see.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

1870 CC Double Eagle

I noticed there is a poll here about how much a mint state 1870-CC Double Eagle would sell for. I see that in the Husky Collection, being sold by Stacks on June 25, there is an 1870-CC Double Eagle Dies 1-A graded NGC EF-40.

The Bergstrom Collection, also being sold by Stacks on June 25 has two 1871-CC double eagles, PCI AU50 "cleaned" and a raw EF-45. Also 5 1872-CC double eagles. Plenty of other CC double eagles including an NGC MS-62 1875-CC.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

1875 S/CC Trade Dollars

I enjoyed all the articles on Trade Dollars in the Summer 2008 issue, since I do not have any, and it is the only silver dollar issue I have not studied in any detail on my own. Comments by Member 0077 that he owns 107 CC Trade Dollars and 3 1875 S/CC dollars got me to recall that Bowers and Merena once had two of the 1875 S/CC listed for sale in the Rare Coin Review some time ago, possibly 1999. Both were chopmarked. I should have bought one then! But at the time I was just getting acquanted with CC dollars and was concentrating on acquiring the Morgans. The Summer 2008 issue was one of the best yet, by the way.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

QUESTION FOR CARSON-ITE

A question for Carson-ite: Did "jimmiekeyes" ever come through with verification of a previously unknown 1876-CC twenty cent piece?

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Thru the Grapvine: GSA prices

Hello everyone:

My favorite coins have been CC Morgan Dollars that were encapsulated and sold by the GSA in the early 1970s. Long time observers of this part of the numismatic universe have noted that the advent of third-party encapsulation and grading has created a new collecting arena where GSA specialists are seeking high grade dollars that are STILL encapsulated in the original GSA packaging. The reasons for this are too numerous to recite in a blog (see my article in the second issue of C4oA's journal, Curry's Chronicle, fall 2005).

I want to start an infrequently updated 'heard-it-thru-the-grapevine' report on the prices that GSA dollars are commanding today as an aid for other collectors who (like me) need accurate approximations for current values.

My sources are anonymous but reputable, and I have verified to the best of my ability that the transactions are real. I am only the reporter and the names of the dealers and owners are anonymous and will never be divulged.

Also, for obvious reasons, this log cannot be a complete market survey. More reports and rumors are always welcomed.

Mitchell

Here are some recent transactions:

December 2007

1883CC GSA NGC MS-65DPL - $2400
Comment: This date and grade is the most common GSA coin found in NGC MS-65DPL (NGC population count - 54).

April 2008

1885CC GSA NGC MS-66DPL - $25,000
Comment: This coin is the highest graded 1885 deep mirror proof-like and is the only coin graded at this level.


May 2008

1890CC GSA NGC MS65 - $47,500+
Comment: This coin is the highest graded 1890CC and it is the only example graded at this level.

Friday, April 25, 2008

National Coin Week in Northern Nevada

A Town Coined Carson City Mint offers events celebrating National Coin Week

Andrew Pridgen Nevada Appeal Staff Writer

April 22, 2008

Even during the most difficult economic times, someone's making money.

This adage couldn't be more true, both literally and figuratively than it is this week in Carson City.

As area numismatists are already well aware, this is National Coin Week.

Whether you're looking through loose change for a newly minted Nevada state quarter or you're Rusty Goe, owner of Reno-based Southgate Coins - who last week purchased an 1871 gold piece struck at the Carson City mint for $414,000 this week is literally one for the books for coin collectors.

"I think it's a (hobby) that's really starting to pick up a lot of new enthusiasts," Goe said. "We have such a wide variety of customers. We have children on a budget, and we stock items to get kids started. And we have long-time collectors who have coins worth tens, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars."

No matter the collector's experience level, Goe said, one lesson is learned quickly for Northern Nevada hobbyists:"Carson City is more than a special place," he said. "For many, it's the epicenter of their coin world."

The Carson City Mint's Coin Press No. 1 operated continuously from 1870-85 and again from 1889-93, according to the Nevada State Museum. It has also operated on a limited basis over the years, producing coins for three years beginning in 1964, and was again pressed into service to make bicentennial medals in 1976, according to the museum.

This year's coin week is celebrated through Saturday at the Nevada State Museum.
Events range from a display of coins of the Comstock, to the operation of Historic Coin Press No. 1.

"It just so happens that this year's national coin week does take on special meaning here," said Bob Nylen, the museum's curator of history. "This is our (city's) 150th anniversary. And the mint is such an integral part of what put Carson on the map."

Tonight at 7:30, Nylen will give a lecture on Abraham Curry, one of Carson City's founding fathers who is credited as being instrumental in bringing the mint here and served as its first director.

"Coin (week) is a natural time to moment Carson's place in history -and Curry embodies that," Nylen said. "Though he died at 58, he lived to see his dream, to see the community develop and grow - to get a mint here."

Goe underscored the importance of having the mint in his "backyard" to the health of his business.

"It really means a lot to me," he said. "All the publicity the mint can get is not just good for my business - it's good for Carson City.

"I (know) the convention and visitors bureau was trying to decide how to brand Carson City and I'm thinking, 'what about the mint?' When people see a coin with the double 'cc' stamp on it - especially those famous silver dollars - they get a look back in the past, a look back on the gilded age of thin country. They get a peek into the last quarter of the 19th century: the Comstock Lode, Mark Twain, the railroads ... the gold rush. These coins have preserved that history."

The museum's collection of Carson City mint coins feature 109 of 111 coins that make up the entire set.

The coins have attracted international interest.

"I put out a quarterly newsletter just on Carson City coins [Curry’s Chronicle] and it even goes to Japan. You can't tell me there isn't a great interest," Goe said.

Though the mint has been dormant for more than a century, its legacy belies the dollar's recent tumble.

Carson City silver dollars, some 2.9 million of which the government put up for sale to collectors from 1972-80, now range in price from $210 to more than $450,000.

"The saying when they were released in the '70s was '90 percent silver, 100 percent history,'" Goe said. "Now if that isn't a slogan for Carson City, I don't know what is."

• Contact reporter Andrew Pridgen at apridgen@nevadaappeal.com or (775) 881-1219.

National Coin Week at a glance:

Tonight: Bob Nylen, curator of history, speaking on Abraham Curry, founder and promoter of Carson City from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the museum.

Thursday: Local coin dealer and author Rusty Goe will give a lecture on favorite forms of recreation and entertainment in Carson City during the mint's glory years: 7 p.m. at the Carson City Library, 900 Roop St.

Friday: The museum's Historic Coin Press No. 1 will operate in celebration of National Coin Week at 11:30 a.m. A special commemorative medallion will be minted in honor of the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Fallon. In the afternoon, a new Liberty Bell .999-fine silver medallion will be minted for the first time to commemorate the Fey Family slot machine collection, which is on display at the museum.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

"CC" COINS IN THE AUCTION PLACE

Heritage Auction Galleries in conjunction with the Central States Numismatic Society will host a five session auction April 16, 17 & 18, 2008 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL. Some great "CC" coins will be up for auction. The prices realized will offer us an up to date value reality for our favorite coins..."CC" of course!
Here is a listing of the six "CC" coins on the block:

1. 1872-CC Seated Dime PCGS VF-25 Lot# 562
2. 1874-CC Seated Dime NGC G-4 Lot# 2264
3. 1875-CC $10 Eagle PCGS AU-55 Lot# 2475
4. 1871-CC $20 Dbl Eagle NGC MS-64 Lot# 2500
5. 1892-CC $20 Dbl Eagle PCGS MS-63 Lot# 2504
6. 1872-CC Seated Dollar NGC MS-64 Lot# 2133

For more info, contact Heritage at: (800) 872-6467
or email at: bid@ha.com

Thursday, April 3, 2008

2008 Renewals

Renewal Season Is Here!

Renewal notices were sent out to all members whose membership in the Carson City Coin Collectors of America club expires June 30, 2008. The one year subscription to Curry’s Chronicle, the club’s quarterly journal, ends with the summer 2008 edition, which is due out the first of June.

There are 255 members in the club who are up for renewals this year. If you are one of those members, please remit your dues to our club treasurer as soon as possible to ensure that you do not miss any issue of the Curry’s Chronicle and lose your membership status in the club’s roster.

Please make your $20* check or money order payable to CCCCOA and mail to:

Treasurer
P.O. Box 16776
Boise, ID 83715-6776

If you have any questions regarding your membership status please contact Amy Williams at (775) 322-4455.

Please send those dues in today!

*International members owe $40 a year. Members from Canada owe $25 a year.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Lincoln coin show

I went to a coin show over the weekend. It's interesting what you can find at coin show. One coin dealer had a 1890 tail bar but it looked like somebody polished in on a buffing wheel!! I think the dealer knew he had a lemon. I hope no one buys this coin. Then another dealer had a 1872 "CC" eagle in a slab that had been cleaned it was a nice looking coin, It's too bad because the coin loses half it's value. There was a nice display of gsa dollars all graded by ngc the coins that stood out were the 79 "CC" and the 91"CC".

Counterfeit PCGS and NGC slabs

The comment that Mike made about counterfeit pcgs and ngc slabs coming from China shocked me. We will have to be more careful about the coins we purchase.

Friday, March 28, 2008

A GREAT "MUST READ" ARTICLE

Greetings to all "CC" fans. There is an article that I consider "must reading" for all coin collectors. It was written by Rusty Goe and is entitled "Not all Coin Dealers Struck from Same Die: A Primer on Particular Types of Professional Numismatists" To view this special article, click on this link: http://www.expertclick.com/NewsReleaseWire/default.cfm?Action=ReleaseDetail&ID=20108&f5=1

After you read this, post a comment. I would love to hear what your thoughts are regarding this subject.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Do "CC" Coins Get Melted

With the recent rise in gold and silver prices alot of common date coins get melted, one wonders if any carson city coins get melted I hope not. But I think that coins that are damaged or badly worn do get melted. By the way I got a silver quarter and dime as change I couldn't belive that silver coins still circulated!!!

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Spring Issue Mailed

Spring 2008 Curry’s Chronicle Has Been Released!


The eleventh issue of the award-winning Curry’s Chronicle has been released and should be reaching Carson City Coin Collectors of America club members shortly. Thanks always to the members who volunteered to submit articles and letters to the editor. We appreciate members stepping forward and volunteering in that fashion. And as always, we ask our members to consider writing something for the next summer issue of the journal. You do not have to be a professional writer of any sorts to contribute. For more information regarding submissions and deadlines please refer to your new spring 2008 chronicle. If you require further assistance or want to pass an article idea by me, feel free to email me at mariesgate@sbcglobal.net or call me at (775) 322-4455 and I will be happy to assist you.

Typo Announcement and a Solution

There's one additional item that I would also like to address. When you receive the latest issue of Curry's Chronicle you'll notice two obvious TYPOs on the front cover and the title page. The printing company that produces our journal screwed up, and as a result, instead of it reading “Spring 2008” on the front cover and the title page, it reads “Winter 2008.” We were shocked by the mistake made by our printer. But they have apologized for their carelessness and in order to remedy the errors they have created replacement stickers that read “Spring 2008,” which you will place over the “Winter 2008” mistake on your journal.

These replacement stickers will be mailed along with important renewal information to each member within the next six weeks. So, don't flip out when you see the typos, and just hold tight and we'll get the correct information on your journal before summer arrives.

And, just as a reminder, the $20 annual membership dues entitles you to a year's subscription to Curry’s Chronicle. The schedule of release for these journals is as follows:

1. Spring issue mailed out the first of March
2. Summer issue mailed out the first of June
3. Fall issue mailed out the first of September
4. Winter issue mailed out the first of December

Hope everyone enjoys reading their spring journal. I expect to see some blogs written on this site sharing about what you've learned!

-Amy
C4OA Membership Services

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

"CC" COINS IN THE AUCTION PLACE

The Queller Family Collection of silver dollars will be sold at the Heritage Central States Platinum Night Auction, April 16-19, 2008 in Rosemont, Illinois. "CC" coins represented in this auction include:
1. 1870-CC Seated Dollar NGC MS-60
2
. 1871-CC Seated Dollar NGC AU-58
3. 1872-CC Seated Dollar NGC MS-64
4. 1873-CC Seated Dollar NGC AU-55
5. 1874-CC Trade Dollar NGC MS-64
6. 1876-CC Trade Dollar - Doubled Die Reverse NGC MS-61
7. 1876-CC Trade Dollar NGC MS-62
8. 1877-CC Trade Dollar NGC MS-63

This is one of those very rare times when you will encounter the four "CC" seated dollar issues for sale at the same time. Get 'em while the gettings good!

Friday, February 8, 2008

Important News Regarding Annual Club Meeting at ANA Convention

Dear Carson City Coin Collectors of America club members,

It is that time once again to start making plans to attend the annual general meeting for the C4OA which is going to be held at the summer ANA Convention in Baltimore, MD. Please mark your calendars for:

THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2008 at 1:00 P.M.

for the C4oA general meeting in Room 319 at the Baltimore Convention Center (One West Pratt Street Baltimore, MD 21201).

Please contact the ANA for more information regarding hotel reservations and travel plans at (719) 482-9857 or email them at convention@money.org. It is suggested that you make your plans early, as rooms do fill-up fast.

We hope that everyone is able to make it the C4OA general meeting to have questions answered and suggestions heard.

Any additional questions related to this or any other club event, please contact me at (775) 322-4455 or email me at mariesgate@sbcglobal.net.

See you in Baltimore!,

Amy

C4OA Membership Records

Sunday, February 3, 2008

The future of 'CC' coins

To all 'CC' collectors; I feel that now is the time to get the coins that you need for your collections, because it will be only a matter time before we see huge price increases. I really like the gold series: mainly the double eagles. Good luck to all collectors in their quest for those 'cc' coins.

1870-CC $20 GOLD PIECE BRINGS QUARTER MILLION $$S

An 1870-CC gold double eagle graded XF-40 (non-certified) sold for $253,000 at Stack's Americana sale in New York City on January 16. This example of the key date in the "CC" $20 gold series is not visually attractive, and has not even been graded by a third-party service, which makes its price realized even more astonishing.
1870-CC $20 gold piece from Stack's Americana sale, 1-16-08.

This strong showing further illustrates the perpetually-increasing demand for rare "CC" issues. We can only imagine what this same coin would have fetched if it had been graded XF-40 or XF-45 by PCGS or NGC. It seems plausible that the winning bid would have cracked the $300,000 barrier. This is all so mind-bending, since it was only about seven or eight years ago that 1870-CC double eagles in any grade were just barely crossing the six-figure level. And, to add more perspective to the sale of this specific 70-CC $20 gold piece, the same coin sold for $20,900 back in 1987 at another Stack's January auction. If its consignor in 2008 is the same person who purchased it in 1987, he or she should be very pleased, don't you think?

The way this current auction season is shaping up, "CC" coins of all types, dates and grades, are sure to garner their share of attention. Stay tuned.

Friday, February 1, 2008

SIX CC $20 BEAUTIES FROM THE RICH UHRICH COLLECTION

"Hear ye, hear ye" all "CC" fans. Six beautiful "CC" gold double eagles are on the auction block. From the Rich Uhrich Collection:
(1.) 1872-CC NGC AU-58
(2.) 1873-CC NGC AU-58
(3.) 1875-CC NGC MS-63
(only two graded finer by NGC)
(4.) 1885-CC PCGS MS-61
(5.) 1891-CC NGC MS-62
(none graded finer by NGC)
(6.) 1892-CC PCGS MS-62.
These fabulous bad boys will be auctioned by Stacks at the February 26-27, 2008 Baltimore Sale. It is my hope that a member of our C4OA will score at least one or two of these. Since I probably won't be able to get them, maybe we could keep them in the family so-to-speak. Let me know what you think. Members, leave your comments!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

RECORD PRICE REALIZED FOR PROOF 1876-CC DIME

It's all about respect. Either the numismatic community believes that a certain coin is rare and worthy of high value or it doesn't. The 1876-CC branch mint Proof dime has finally earned its distinction as a genuine American classic rarity, as it transcended the price scale to the next level, shattering all pre-sale estimates. The winning bidder chunked down $178,250 for the 1876-CC Liberty Seated dime certified as a PR-65 by PCGS in Superior's Elite Coin Auction held in Orlando, Florida on January 5, 2008. The consignor of this special coin posted a hefty reserve before the sale, which if satisfied, would ensure that a new record would be established. One by one bidders dropped out of contention, until at the end it was between two stalwarts, neither of whom wished to concede victory to the other. A second-to-last bid of $150,000 was trumped by one of $155,000, thus ending the contest. Add another $23,250 in buyer's fees to the hammer and you've got the final price realized.

Previous sales of any of the reported Proof or Specimen strike 1876-CC dimes approached the $50,000 mark, which is certainly an impressive level. But now the roof has been raised, and just as the 1893-CC Proof Morgan dollars at one time needed to prove that they were worthy of breaking the six-figure barrier, the specially-struck 1876-CC dimes will now be accepted into an exclusive club in which rarity engenders accolades.

This is a monumental day for the Carson City series and we offer our hearty salute in honor of the occasion. And, by the way, congratulations to the dime's new owner.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Happy New Year "CC" Enthusiasts!

What does the year 2008 have in store for all of us who treasure Carson City coins? Time will only tell, but before we ponder the future let us reflect on the past. Aside from it being the 150th anniversary of the founding of Carson City, it has been 138 years since the Carson City Mint released its first coins (1870-CC Liberty Seated silver dollars), and 115 years since it issued its last coins (1893-CC Morgan silver dollars). In between those two landmark years, the Carson Mint manufactured approximately 56.6 million coins consisting of ten different types; seven of which were struck in silver, and three of which were struck in gold.


According to my best
estimates, no more than 4.5 million of these coins survived to the present day; and approximately 4.2 million of these are represented by the Morgan silver dollars. This means that there are no more than a combined total of 300,000 of all the other nine types of coins in existence.

Some of these we know are extremely scarce, with the 1873-CC Without Arrows dime sitting at the top of the rarity scale with only one known survivor. Next in line is the sister to the Unique dime, the 1873-CC Without Arrows quarter, with only five known survivors. And not too distant down the scale is the 1876-CC twenty-cent piece, with its estimated surviving population of eighteen or nineteen specimens. These are the three coins many of us dream of owning, but only a few of us ever will own.

So, we've got our mega-rarities, but then there are many other coins bearing the "CC" mintmark which run the gamut of price categories. As all members of C4OA have observed in the pages of Curry's Chronicle, there are categories of "CC" coins to fit everyone's taste and budget. Some of us can derive just as much pleasure from owning an 1876-CC quarter in Fine condition, or an 1882-CC silver dollar in MS-60, as others do owning one of the elite coins in the Carson City series.

I invite any of you that have not already done so to submit an article or a letter to the editor in which you describe your favorite "CC" coin or coins, for publication in Curry's Chronicle. The stories behind the coins and the testimonies of those who own them are part of the fascination we have with collecting them.

As for what this new year holds for all of us "CC" enthusiasts we might be given a foretaste during the January auctions. Certainly the spotlight will shine on some of the more notable issues from our beloved mint. Consider for instance, the 1876-CC Proof Liberty Seated dime for sale in Superior's auction. It is catalogued as the only such specimen in existence, although we know that this may only be a matter of semantics, since NGC lists four Specimen Strike 1876-CC dimes in its census report. Regardless of the terminology employed in describing these special dimes, we know that they are rare, and that whenever one of them sells, there's usually big bucks involved. Superior estimates that their Proof 1876-CC dime might fetch $100,000. If it does, it will set a record for this variety. Let's wait and see.

Then there's the finest known example of an 1873-CC gold half eagle, graded PCGS MS-62, scheduled to appear in Heritage's FUN sale during the second week of January. The consignor placed a $90,000 reserve on this rare little devil. Will he get it?

During the following week, Stack's is offering a Circulated example of an 1870-CC gold double eagle, which their cataloguer describes as an XF-40 piece (it's not certified). With what these bad babies have been bringing recently it will be interesting to see what this uncertified specimen realizes. Stay tuned.

There are numerous other "CC" coins scheduled for the auction block in January and after the dust settles, we should have a clear idea of how strong this market is. What are your predictions.

Let's make 2008 the year that C4OA's blogsite emerged as an active, highly interactive platform. Get involved. Submit something. Make it one of your New Year's resolutions to be a player and not just a spectator.