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Description

1873-CC Seated Dollar, AU55
The End of a Challenging Series

1873-CC $1 AU55 PCGS. OC-1, High R.4. Osburn-Cushing Die State a/b. The Carson City run of Seated dollars is a challenging subset within the larger Seated dollar series. Just four issues -- the maximum possible -- were produced between the facility's opening in 1870 and the passage of the Coinage Act of February 12, 1873, which prevented Seated dollars (as opposed the higher-weight Trade dollars that followed) from being struck after the first three months of the year. This run includes two of the five lowest-mintage Seated dollars known in business-strike format -- the 1871-CC (1,376 pieces produced) and the 1873-CC with an output of only 2,300 examples. 1,000 pieces were struck in January and another 1,300 pieces in late February, before the Coinage Act of 1873 went into effect.

In The Mint on Carson Street and later in his three-volume reference, The Confident Carson City Coin Collector, Rusty Goe explores the 1873-CC dollar and the various claims made about what happened to the coins to account for survivors' rarity. While Goe concludes it is unlikely that the 1873-CC dollar was targeted for destruction after the Coinage Act's passage, he also acknowledges that of the four Carson City Seated dollar issues, the 1873-CC is the most elusive overall. As a high-grade rarity, it is in a virtual tie with the lower-mintage 1871-CC.

Many 1873-CC Seated dollar survivors are impaired, and Choice About Uncirculated examples or finer are significant rarities. Semireflective surfaces are unsurprising in light of the small mintage, and the surfaces of this AU55 example display only a faint hint of gold against a brilliant silver base. The coin is a bit softly struck at Liberty's head while showing scattered light abrasions and a few reed marks. Actual wear on the high points is minimal and the overall visual effect is pleasing. PCGS Population: 8 in 55, 6 finer (1/25).
Ex: Central States Signature (Heritage, 4/2013), lot 4329. (Registry values: N7079)
From The Ron L. Cates Collection.

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 24ZN, PCGS# 6972, Greysheet# 7233)

Weight: 26.73 grams

Metal: 90% Silver, 10% Copper


View all of [The Ron L. Cates Collection ]

View Certification Details from PCGS

The Confident Carson City Coin Collector
by Rusty Goe

The Carson City Mint’s celebrated legacy — replete with landmark achievements, setbacks, mysteries and tall tales — is covered in exacting detail in Goe’s three-volume set.

Auction Info

Auction Dates
Feb-Mar, 2025
27th-2nd Thursday-Sunday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 26
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 595

Buyer's Premium per Lot:
20% of the successful bid per lot.

Sold on Feb 27, 2025 for: $56,400.00
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