1874-CC $10 Liberty Head Eagle PCGS AU53

This is a very rare coin in each and every grade. Rusty Goe, specialist in issues from the Carson City Mint, reports that about 275 to 300 examples have survived in all grades into the 21^st century. That is out of an original mintage of 16,765 pieces. PCGS has graded 11 as AU53 with just 15 finer. That includes one mint state example, in MS63. Collectors Universe gives this issue a price of $22,500 in AU53.

The Carson City Mint, where this very rare specimen was produced. Photo: wikipedia.

Reports Rusty Goe, “In January 1874, San Francisco's Daily Alta California said the Carson City Mint had ‘little or nothing to do.’ This may have been the case at the beginning of the year, but they would display rigorous execution of their craft before it ended. Monthly production of coins and bars (unparted gold and silver, and fine silver) saw incremental increases, jumping from a quarter of a million dollars in January 1874 to double that amount in February, with subsequent advances through the year.”

Continuing, Goe writes, “For some reason, a stepped-up demand for $10 gold pieces caused the Carson Mint's coining department to deliver nearly as many examples in 1874 as it had in the three previous years combined with 7,725 in the first half of the year, and 9,042 in the second half.”