carson city half dollars
DESCRIPTION
Carson City Half Dollars. By Bill Bugert. Background. Why a Branch Mint at Carson City ? (1859) Comstock Load Too much silver! – Actions by silver mining lobbyists (1863) Treasury didn’t want Branch Mint but signed into law Abraham Curry, 1 st CC Branch Mint Superintendent - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
11
Carson City Half DollarsCarson City Half Dollars
ByBy
Bill BugertBill Bugert
22
BackgroundBackground Why a Branch Mint at Carson City ?Why a Branch Mint at Carson City ?
– (1859) Comstock Load(1859) Comstock Load– Too much silver! – Actions by silver mining lobbyistsToo much silver! – Actions by silver mining lobbyists– (1863) Treasury didn’t want Branch Mint but signed into law(1863) Treasury didn’t want Branch Mint but signed into law
Abraham Curry, 1Abraham Curry, 1stst CC Branch Mint Superintendent CC Branch Mint Superintendent
Opened for business in 1870Opened for business in 1870– Sporadic gold and silver coinage thru 1893Sporadic gold and silver coinage thru 1893– 1010¢¢, 20, 20¢, ¢, 2525¢¢, 50, 50¢¢, Silver $1, Gold $5-$20, Silver $1, Gold $5-$20– Closed in 1893Closed in 1893– Branch Mint building now a State of Nevada MuseumBranch Mint building now a State of Nevada Museum– Extremely popular collectors’ itemsExtremely popular collectors’ items
33
Carson City Half DollarsCarson City Half Dollars
Historical events affecting half dollar mintagesHistorical events affecting half dollar mintages– 1870 - Carson City Branch Mint began minting half dollars1870 - Carson City Branch Mint began minting half dollars– 1875 - Specie Payment Redemption Act1875 - Specie Payment Redemption Act– 1877 - Return of old silver1877 - Return of old silver– 1878 - Bland-Allison Act1878 - Bland-Allison Act
44
Carson City Half DollarsCarson City Half DollarsPut in PerspectivePut in Perspective
Total Mintage of Total Mintage of allall CC Half DollarsCC Half Dollars
5.3 Million5.3 Million 97 die marriages97 die marriages
Total Mintage of Total Mintage of onlyonly 1877-S Half Dollars1877-S Half Dollars
5.3 Million5.3 Million 38 die marriages38 die marriages
55
1870-CC Half Dollars1870-CC Half Dollars
First CC half dollarFirst CC half dollar A series keyA series key About 200 knownAbout 200 known
– Louisiana (Pohler) - Wiley hoardLouisiana (Pohler) - Wiley hoard
Mostly low gradesMostly low grades 5 die marriages: 3 obverse 5 die marriages: 3 obverse
and 3 reverse diesand 3 reverse dies All large CCsAll large CCs No interesting varietiesNo interesting varieties
66
1871-CC Half Dollars1871-CC Half Dollars
A series semi-keyA series semi-key About 650 knownAbout 650 known Mostly low gradesMostly low grades 7 die marriages: 3 obverse 7 die marriages: 3 obverse
and 5 reverse diesand 5 reverse dies All Large CCsAll Large CCs One sidedOne sidedproof (Breen) proof (Breen) with repunched 71with repunched 71
77
1872-CC Half Dollars1872-CC Half Dollars
About 1,000 knownAbout 1,000 known Mostly low gradesMostly low grades 9 die marriages: 4 obverse 9 die marriages: 4 obverse
and 5 reverse diesand 5 reverse dies All Large CCsAll Large CCs Repunched 2Repunched 2
88
1873-CC No Arrows 1873-CC No Arrows Half DollarsHalf Dollars
About 500 knownAbout 500 known Many low gradesMany low grades 2 die marriages: 2 obverse 2 die marriages: 2 obverse
dies and 1 reverse die with dies and 1 reverse die with Small CCSmall CC
Repunched 1Repunched 1
99
1873-CC With Arrows 1873-CC With Arrows Half DollarsHalf Dollars
About 750 knownAbout 750 known Mostly low gradesMostly low grades
– Berlinghof (Blake) hoardBerlinghof (Blake) hoard
6 die marriages: 5 obverse 6 die marriages: 5 obverse and 2 reverse dies with and 2 reverse dies with Small and Large CCsSmall and Large CCs
One rareOne rare
die marriagedie marriage
1010
1874-CC With Arrows 1874-CC With Arrows Half DollarsHalf Dollars
A series semi-keyA series semi-key About 300 knownAbout 300 known Many low gradesMany low grades 3 die marriages: 3 obverse 3 die marriages: 3 obverse
and 1 reverse die with and 1 reverse die with Small CCsSmall CCs
1 major 1 major
die statedie state
1111
1875-CC Half Dollars1875-CC Half Dollars About 4,000 knownAbout 4,000 known Available in all gradesAvailable in all grades 12 die marriages: 9 12 die marriages: 9
obverse and 5 reverse dies obverse and 5 reverse dies all with Medium CCsall with Medium CCs
Rare die marriagesRare die marriages– Lump in obv shieldLump in obv shield– Die gougesDie gouges
in rev dentilsin rev dentils
1212
1876-CC Half Dollars1876-CC Half Dollars
About 8,000 knownAbout 8,000 known Available in all gradesAvailable in all grades 37 die marriages*: 27 37 die marriages*: 27
obverse and 26 reverse diesobverse and 26 reverse dies 3 mintmark sizes: Small, 3 mintmark sizes: Small,
Medium, Large CCsMedium, Large CCs So-called ProofSo-called Proof Many proof-like diesMany proof-like dies
* = One new die marriage discovered by Jack Marston in July 2010* = One new die marriage discovered by Jack Marston in July 2010
1313
1876-CC Half Dollars1876-CC Half Dollars
Digit in dentilsDigit in dentils
Gouge on LibertyGouge on Liberty
Die defect on 4 obverse diesDie defect on 4 obverse dies
1414
1877-CC Half Dollars1877-CC Half Dollars
About 6,000 knownAbout 6,000 known Available in all gradesAvailable in all grades 15 die marriages: 12 15 die marriages: 12
obverse and 13 reverse diesobverse and 13 reverse dies 2 mintmark sizes: Small and 2 mintmark sizes: Small and
Medium CCsMedium CCs 2 reverse hubs2 reverse hubs
1515
1877-CC Half Dollars1877-CC Half Dollars 2 reverse hubs2 reverse hubs
Repunched 77Repunched 77
1616
1878-CC Half Dollars1878-CC Half Dollars
Last CC half dollarLast CC half dollar A series semi-keyA series semi-key About 250 knownAbout 250 known Many low grades but Many low grades but
many Mint State coinsmany Mint State coins Single die marriage Single die marriage
with Medium CCswith Medium CCs
1717
CC Half Dollars SummaryCC Half Dollars Summary
Minted 1870-1878Minted 1870-1878 5.3 Million minted 5.3 Million minted ~22,000 exist~22,000 exist 97 die marriages97 die marriages Interesting varietiesInteresting varieties Very popular with collectorsVery popular with collectors Typically, higher acquisition costsTypically, higher acquisition costs
1818
Available ResourcesAvailable Resources
Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC)Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC)
Carson City Coin Club of America (C4OA)Carson City Coin Club of America (C4OA)
The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half The Complete Guide to Liberty Seated Half DollarsDollars, Randy Wiley and Bill Bugert, 1993, Randy Wiley and Bill Bugert, 1993
A Register of Liberty Seated Half Dollar Varieties, A Register of Liberty Seated Half Dollar Varieties, Volume II, Carson City Branch MintVolume II, Carson City Branch Mint, Bill Bugert, , Bill Bugert, 20102010
AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements
Randy WileyRandy WileyMy good friend, colleague, and collaborator My good friend, colleague, and collaborator over the decades who has shared a mutual over the decades who has shared a mutual
passion of collecting and studying seated half passion of collecting and studying seated half dollars, and allowed me to study and dollars, and allowed me to study and
photograph his CC half dollar collectionphotograph his CC half dollar collection
1919
2020
New CC Half Dollar Variety BookNew CC Half Dollar Variety Book With Special Edits by, Consultations with, and With Special Edits by, Consultations with, and
Featuring the CC Half Dollar Collection of Randy Featuring the CC Half Dollar Collection of Randy WileyWiley
Details all known Carson City Branch Mint half Details all known Carson City Branch Mint half dollar die marriages (96) with narratives, photo dollar die marriages (96) with narratives, photo diagnostics, rarity ratings, background information, diagnostics, rarity ratings, background information, etc.etc.
Includes over 900 close up and full coin Includes over 900 close up and full coin photographsphotographs
Has 220 pages in 8.5 x 11 inch sizeHas 220 pages in 8.5 x 11 inch size Printed on high quality 100# anthem gloss paperPrinted on high quality 100# anthem gloss paper Available in 3-hole punched format (ready for your Available in 3-hole punched format (ready for your
binder) or plastic comb binding formatbinder) or plastic comb binding format Priced here at the ANA at $45 with pick upPriced here at the ANA at $45 with pick up $50 postpaid (please specify format) delivered in $50 postpaid (please specify format) delivered in
the U.S.the U.S. Available from the author here at the show or at:Available from the author here at the show or at:
Bill BugertBill Bugert1230 Red Rock Road1230 Red Rock RoadGettysburg, PA 17325-6927 Gettysburg, PA 17325-6927
2121
Edge Reed Count
Date 143 144 152 153 154
1870-CC √
1871-CC √
1872-CC √
1873-CC √
1874-CC √
1875-CC √
1876-CC √ √ √ √ √
1877-CC √
1878-CC √
Mintmark Size
Small Medium Large
Height of mintmark
.028 - .030” .034 - .036” .041 - .043”
1870-CC √
1871-CC √
1872-CC √
1873-CC No Arrows
√
1873-CC With Arrows
√ √
1874-CC With Arrows
√
1875-CC √
1876-CC √ √ √
1877-CC Reverse Hub 1
√ √
1877-CC Reverse Hub 2
√
1878-CC √