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.

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.